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III i ill H i IHH H 



EXTILES AND CLOTHING 



AMERICAN SCHOOL^HOME ECONOMICS 
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 

U.S.A. 





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Textiles and Clothing 



BY 

KATE HEINTZ WATSON 

GRADUATE ARMOUR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 

FORMERLY INSTRUCTOR IN DOMESTIC ART 

LEWIS INSTITUTE 

LECTURER UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO 




CHICAGO 

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF HOME ECONOMICS 
I907 



nn! '2- z - 



I LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
QneCouy Keceived 

APK 19 1907 

I Cou.vritfnf tntry 

|CLAss0 a, aac, No, 

/7V/7S- 

€OPY a.. 



COPYRIGHT 1906, 1907. BY 
HOME ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION 







Spl nn lng Witt, ^JTSK^Won, a Pa.nUn, 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



^^ PINNING and weaving are among the earliest 
^-^ arts. In the twisting of fibers, hairs, grasses, and 
sinews by rolling them between the thumb and fingers, 
palms of the hands, or palms and naked thigh, we have 
the original of the spinning wheel and the steam-driven 
cotton spindle ; in the roughest plaiting we have the 
first hint of the finest woven cloth. The need of 
securing things or otherwise strengthening them then 
led to binding, fastening, and sewing. The wattle- 
work hut with its roof of interlaced boughs, the skins 
sewn by fine needles with entrails or sinews, the matted 
twigs, grasses, and rushes are all the crude beginnings 
of an art which tells of the settled life of to-dav. 

Nothing is definitely known of the origin of these 
arts; all is conjecture. They doubtless had their be- 
ginning long before mention is made of them in his- 
tory, but these crafts — spinning and weaving — modi- 
fied and complicated by inventions and, in modern 
times transferred largely from man to machine, w r ere 
distinctively woman's employment. 

The very primitive type of spinning, where no 
spindle was used, was to fasten the strands of goats' 
hair or wool to a stone which was twirled round until 



Origin 

of Textile 

Arts 



Primitive 
Methods 




ITALIAN WOMAN SPINNING FLAX 
Spindle and Distaff. 
From Hull House Museum. (In This Series of Pictures 
Spinners and Weavers Are in Native Costume.) 



the 




RUSSIAN SPINNING 

Flax Held on Frame, Leaving- Both Hands Free to Manage th< 

Thread and Spindle. 

From Hull House Museum. 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Spinning 

with the 
Spindle 



Spindle 
Whorl 



the yarn was sufficiently twisted when it was wound 
upon the stone and the process repeated over and over. 

The next method of twisting yarn was with the 
spindle, a straight stick eight to twelve inches long 
on which the thread was wound after twisting. At 
first it had a cleft or split in the top in which the 
thread was fixed ; later a hook of bone was added to 
the upper end. The spindle is yet used by the North 
American Indians, the Italians, and in the Orient. The 
bunch of wool or flax fibers is held in the left hand; 
with the right hand the fibers are drawn out several 
inches and the end fastened securely in the slit or hook 
on the top of the spindle. A whirling motion is given 
to the spindle on the thigh or any convenient part of 
the body; the spindle is then dropped, twisting the 
yarn, which is wound on the upper part of the spindle. 
Another bunch of fibers is drawn out, the spindle is 
given another twirl, the yarn is wound on the spindle, 
and so on. 

A spindle containing a quantity of yarn was found 
to rotate more easily, steadily and continue longer 
than an empty one, hence the next improvement was 
the addition of a whorl at the bottom of the spindle. 
These whorls are discs of wood, stone, clay, or metal 
which keep the spindle steady and promote its rota- 
tion. The process in effect is precisely the same as 
the spinning done by our grandmothers, only the spin- 
ning wheel did the twisting and reduced the time 
required for the operation. 




SPINNING WITH CRUDE WHEEL AND DISTAFF 
Distaff Thrust Into the Belt. 




COLONIAL FLAX WHEEL 
Worked by a Foot Treddle; Distaff on the Frame of the Wheel; 
"Fliers" on the Spindle, Continuous in Action; Capacity 
Seven Times That of Hand Spindle. 




DUTCH WHEEL 
Spinner Sits in Front of the Wheel— Spinning- Flax at Hull 

House. 



12 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Distaff Later the distaff was used for holding the bunch of 

wool, flax, or other fibers. It was a short stick on 

one end of which was loosely wound the raw material. 

The other end of the distaff was held in the hand, 

. under the arm or thrust in the girdle of the spinner. 



Birth of Christ 



7mWM,, H , . jl . . ■ i ...,,.. X ji^L-..,L : .. _. 




1 



Time during which the hand spindle was the only form of spindle known. 



Spinning wheel also known. 



Steam has been applied to spinning. 



Graphic Diagram Showing Time During which Different Methods of 
Spinning Has Been Used. 

When held thus, one hand was left free for drawing 
out the fibers, 
wheel On the small spinning wheel the distaff was placed 

Spinning ^ ^ ^ q£ ^ whed ^^ ^ f rQnt Qf ^ « fillers » . 

this left both hands free to manage the spindle and 
to draw out the threads of the fibers. 

The flax spinning wheel, worked by means of a 
treadle, was invented in the early part of the sixteenth 




SYRIAN SPINNING 

Spinner Sits on the Floor, Wheel Turned by a Crank; Spindle 

Held in Place by Two Mutton Joints Which Contain 

Enough* Oil for Lubrication. At Hull House. 



M 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



century and was a great improvement upon the dis- 
taff and spindle. This it will be seen was a compara- 
tively modern invention. The rude wheel used by 
the natives of Japan and India may have been the 
progenitor of the European wheel, as about this time 
intercourse between the East and Europe increased. 
These wheels were used for spinning flax, wool, and 
afterwards cotton, until Hargreaves' invention super- 
seded it. 

WEAVING 

Someone has said that "weaving is the climax of 
textile industry." It is an art practiced by all savage 




PUEBLO WOMAN WORKING HEDDLE IN WEAVING A BELT 

tribes and doubtless was known before the dawn of 
history. The art is but a development of mat-making 
and basketry, using threads formed or made by spin- 
ning in place of coarser filaments. 

In the beginning of the art the warp threads were 
stretched between convenient objects on the ground 




A NAVAJO BELT WEAVER 



WEAVING 



17 



or from horizontal supports. At first the woof or 
filling threads were woven back and forth between 
the warp threads as in darning. An improvement was 
the device called the "heald" or "heddle," by means of 
which alternate warp threads could be drawn away 
from the others, making an opening through which 
the filling thread could be passed quickly. One form 





The 
Heddle 



PRIMITIVE HEDDLES 



of the heddle was simply a straight stick having loops 
of cord or sinew through which certain of the warp 
threads were run. Another form was a slotted frame 
having openings or "eyes" in the slats. This was 
carved, from one piece of wood or other material or 
made from many. Alternate warp threads passed 
through the eyes and the slots. By raising or lower- 
ing the heddle frame, an opening was formed through 
which the filling thread, wound on a rude shuttle, was 
thrown. The next movement of the heddle frame 




NAVAJO LOOM 
One of the Earliest Types of Looms. At Hull House. 



WEAVING 



19 



crossed the threads over the filling and made a new 
opening for the return of the shuttle. At first the 
filling thread was wound on a stick making a primi- 
tive bobbin. Later the shuttle to hold the bobbin was 
devised. 




SIMPLE COLONIAL LOOM 

Before the "reed" was invented, the filling threads 
were drawn evenly into place by means of a rude comb 
and driven home by sword-shaped piece of wood or 
"batten." The reed accomplished all this at one time. 

It is probable that the European looms were de- 
tived from those of India as they seem to be made on 
the same principle. From crude beginnings, the hand 
loom of our grandmothers' time developed. A loom 



The Reed 



WEAVING 



23 



has been defined as a mechanism which affects the 
following necessary movements: 

I. The lifting of the healds to form an opening, 
or shed, or race for the shuttle to pass through. 




DIAGRAM OF A HAND LOOM 
A— Warp Beam; B— Cloth Beam; Z)Z>- Lees Rods; //—Harness, 
T— Treddle. 

2. The throwing of the weft or filling by means 
of a shuttle. 

3. The beating up of the weft left in the shed by 
the shuttle, to the cloth already formed. This thread 
may be adjusted by means of the batten, needle, comb, 
or any separate device like the reed. 

4 & 5. The winding up or taking up of the cloth 
as it is woven and the letting off of the warp as the 
cloth is taken up. 



Definition 
of a Loom 




SWEDISH HAND LOOM 
Norwegian Woman Weaving- Linen at Hull House. 



WEAVING 



25 



No essential changes have been made since our 
grandmothers made cloth a hundred years ago. The 
"harnesses" move part of the warp now up, now down, 
and the shuttle carries the weft from side to side to be 
driven home by the reeds to the woven cloth. Our 
grandmothers did all the work with swift movements 



Colonial 
Loom 




DIAGRAM OF THE WORKING PARTS OF A LOOM. 

S— Suttle for carrying the woof; R— Reed for beating up the woof; 

//—Frame holding heddles, with pullies (P) making the 

harness ; T— Treddles for moving the harness. 

of hands and feet. The modern weaver has her loom 
harnessed to the electric dynamo and moves her fin- 
gers only to keep the threads in order. If she wishes 
to weave a pattern in the cloth, no longer does she 
pick up threads of warp now here, now there, accord- 
ing to the designs. It is all worked out for her on 
the loom. Each thread with almost human intelli- 
gence settles automatically into its appointed place, 
and the weaver is onlv a machine tender. 



WEAVING 27 

No textiles of primitive people were ever woven in Primitive 

, Fabrics 

"pieces" or "bolts" of yards and yards in length to be 
cut into garments. The cloth was made of the size 
and shape to serve the particular purpose for which it 
was designed. The mat, robe, or blanket had tribal 
outlines and proportions and was made according to 
the materials and the use of common forms that pre- 
vailed among the tribes. The designs were always 
conventional and sometimes monotonous. The decora- 
tion never interfered with its use. "The first beauty 
of the savage woman was uniformity which belonged 
to the texture and shape of the product." The uni- 
formity in textile, basketry, or pottery, after acquiring 
a family trait, was never lost sight of. Their designs 
were suggested by the natural objects with which they 
were familiar. 



World's Crop. 
United States. 
Texas. 



PRODUCTION OF COTTON 

largest producer, followed by Georgia, Alabama, and 
Mississippi. The remainder of the world supply comes 
chiefly from India, Egypt, Russia, and Brazil. The 
Hindoos were the first ancient people to make exten- 
sive use of the cotton fiber. Not until the invention 
of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1794 did the 
cotton begin to reach its present importance. Only 

29 



Fibers 



FIBERS 

Both the animal and vegetable kingdoms furnish 
the materials for clothing as well as for all the textiles 
used in the home. The fleece of sheep, the hair of the 
goat and camel, silk, furs, and skins are the chief 
animal products. The principal vegetable fibers are 
cotton, flax, ramie, jute, and hemp. 

Cotton linen, wool, and silk have heretofore formed chief 
the foundation of all textiles and are the principal 
fibers used for clothing materials. Ramie or China 
grass and pineapple fibers are sometimes used as 
adulterants in the manufacture of silk. When woven 
alone, they give soft silky textiles of great strength 
and beauty. 

COTTON 

Cotton is now our chief vegetable fiber, the yearly 
crop* being over six billion pounds, of which the 
United States raises three-fourths. Texas is the 



Native 
Home 



Sea Island 
Cotton 



Upland 
Cotton 



30 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

four or five pounds of the fiber could be separated by 
hand from the seed by a week's labor. The modern 
saw gins turn out over five thousand pounds daily. 

Cotton is the white downy covering of the seed of 
several species of cotton plant. It is a native of many 
parts of the world, being found by Columbus growing 
in the West Indies and on the main land, by Cortez in 
Mexico, and Pizarro in Peru. 

The value of cotton depends upon the strength, and 
evenness of the fiber. In ordinary cotton the individual 

^ O/Sy ^" % *" r *\ fiber is about an inch in 

™il'-$?is $$&-** Wfa l en g' tn - The sea island cot- 
ton grown chiefly on the 
islands off the coast of 
Georgia, Carolina, and 
Florida is the most valu- 
able variety, having a fine fiber, one and one-half to 
two inches in length. Some of the Egyptian cotton be- 
longs to this species. Sea island cotton is used chiefly 
for fine laces, thread and knit goods and for the finest 
lawns and muslins. 

The short fiber or upland cotton is the most common 
and useful variety. It is grown in Georgia, North 
and South Carolina and Alabama. Texas cotton is 
similar to upland, but sometimes is harsh with shorter 
fiber. Gulf cotton occupies a position between upland 
and sea island cotton. 

The Brazilian and Peruvian cotton yields a long 
staple and is sometimes used to adulterate silk and 




COTTON FIBER ATTACHED 
TO SEED 




UPLAND COTTON PLANT WITH FULLY DEVELOPED BOLES 
From Bulletin No. 31, Georgia Experiment Station. 




COTTON BOLE FULLY DEVEL- 
OPED 
From Year Book of the Department 
of Agriculture, 1903. 




BOLE OPENED, COTTON READY FOR PICKING 
Year Book of 1903. 



34 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Nankin 
Cotton 



other fibers. Some varieties of this cotton are harsh 
and wooly and are prized for use in mixing with wool. 
The Nankin cotton grown in China and India and 
in the southwestern part of Louisiana is characterized 
by its yellow color. It is used in weaving cloth of 
various kinds in the "fireside industries" which have 
become popular in the United States and England. 




Spinning 
Qualities 



COTTON FIBEKS 
A A— Unripe Fibers ; B .£— Half-ripe Fibers ; C C— Ripe Fibers. 

Very fine yarn can be spun from cotton because of 
the spiral character of the fibers. This twist of the 
fibers is peculiar to cotton, being present in no other 
animal or vegetable fiber. On account of this twist, 
cotton cloths are much more elastic in character than 
those woven from linen, the fibers of which are stiff 
and straight. 

After the removal of the seed, no other fiber is so 
free from impurities — 5 per cent is the loss sustained 



COTTON 



35 



by cleaning and bleaching. In its natural condition, 
cotton will not dye readily because of a waxy sub- 
stance on the surface of the fibers. This must be 
removed by washing. 

Cotton should be picked only when it is fully ripe 
when the pods are fully burst and the fibers expanded. 
The unripe fiber is glassy, does not attain its full 





Picking 

and 

Ginning 



COTTON BALES 

strength and resists the dye. After picking, the cotton 
is sent to the ginning factory to have the seed removed. 
It is then pressed into bales by hydraulic presses, five 
hundred pounds being the standard bale in the United 
States. 

Purified bleached cotton is nearly pure cellulose. 
It resists the action of alkalis well, but is harmed by 
hot, strong acids, or if acid is allowed to dry on the 
fabric. It is not harmed by high temperature, and so 
may be ironed with a hot iron. 



Physical 
Character- 
istics 




WOOL FIBER AND SUBSTITUTES „^ . , 

1. South American Wool; 2, Noil from the Same; 3. Tangled 
Waste, 4, Waste Combed Out; 5, Lap Waste; 6, Shoddy. 



WOOL 



37 



WOOL 

Wool is the most important animal fiber. Strictly 
speaking the name applies only to the hairy covering 
of sheep, but the hair of certain goats and of camels 
is generally classified under the same terms. The 
wool fiber is distinguished by its scale-like surface 
which gives it its felting and spinning properties. Hair 



Character 
of Fiber 





MICROSCOPIC APPEARANCE OF WOOL FIBERS 



as distinguished from wool has little or no scaly struc- 
ture being in general a smooth filament with no felting 
properties and spinning only with great difficulty. Fur 
is the undergrowth found on most fur-bearing animals 
and has in a modified way the scaly structure and felt- 
ing properties of wool. 

The great value of wool as a fiber lies in the fact 
that it is strong, elastic, soft, very susceptible to dye 
stuffs and being woven, furnishes a great number of 



Value for 
Clothing 



38 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Quality 
Of Wool 



air spaces, rendering clothing made from it very warm 
and light. 

Climate, breed, and food influence the quality of the 
wool. Where the pasturage is barren and rocky, the 
wool is apt to be coarse. 



Varieties 
of Sheep 




MERINO RAMS 
The Variety of Sheep Giving the Finest Wool. 

There are supposed to be about thirty distinct varie- 
ties of sheep, nearly half of which are natives of Asia, 
one-third of Africa, and only four coming from Eu- 
rope, and two from America. Wool is divided into 
two general classes — long and short staple, according 



WOOL 39 

to the average length of fiber. The long fiber wool is 
commonly carded, combed and spun into worsted yarn. 
The short fiber is usually carded and spun into woolen 
yarn. The short fiber obtained in combing long staple 
wool is called "noil." It is used for woolens. 

Alpaca, Vicuna and Llama wools are obtained from 
animals which are native to the mountains of Peru 



Goat 
Wools 




ANGORA GOATS 

and Chile. The Angora goat, originally from Asia 
Minor, furnishes the mohair of commerce. This 
fiber does not resemble the hairs of common goats in 
any respect. It is a very beautiful fiber of silky luster, 
which constitutes its chief value. 



40 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Fur 



Sorting 
Wool 



The fur of beavers and rabbits can be and is used 
in manufacture, either spun into yarn or made into 
felt. The fibers of both animals enter largely into the 
manufacture of felt hats. 

The fleece of sheep after being sheared is divided 
into different parts or sorted, according to to the qual- 




WOOL FIBERS 

-Medium Wool; £— Camel's Hair; c— Diseased Fiber; d— Merino Wool : 
«?— Mohair. 



Scouring 
Wool 



ity of the wool, the best wool coming from the sides 
of the animal. 

As it comes from the sheep, the wool contains many 
substances besides the wool fiber which must be re- 
moved before dyeing or spinning. This cleansing- is 
called scouring. Before scouring, the wool is usually 
dusted by machines to remove all loose dirt. The 
scouring must be done by the mildest means possible 
in order to preserve the natural fluffiness and bril- 
liancy of the fiber. The chief impurity is the wool 



WOOL 



4i 



grease or "yolk" which is secreted by the skin glands 
to lubricate the fiber and prevent it from matting. 

In the scouring of wool, soap is the principal agent. 
Soft soap made from caustic potash is generally used 



Scouring 
Agents 




ONE METHOD OF WOOL SORTING 
1— The Best Grade ; 2— Lowest Grade ; 3— Fair ; i— Medium Grade. 

as it is less harmful than ordinary hard soda soap. 
Potassium carbonate — "pearl ash" — is often used in 
connection with the soap. If the water for scouring is 
hard, it is softened with pearl ash. The temperature 



42 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Hydroscopic 
Moisture 



of wash water is never allowed to go above 120 F. 
The scoured wool weighs from a little over a half to 
one-third or less of the weight of the fleece. 

Wool has the remarkable property of absorbing up 
to 30 per cent or more of its weight of water and yet 
not feel perceptibly damp to the touch. This is called 




WOOL SORTING 

"hydroscopic moisture." To this property wool owes 
its superiority as a textile for underclothing. 

The thoroughly cleansed fiber is made up chiefly of 
the chemical substance keratin, being similar in com- 
position to horn and feathers. In burning it gives off 
a characteristic disagreeable odor. It is a substance 
very weakly acid in its nature, for which reason it 
combines readily with many dyes. Wool resists the 
action of acids very well, but is much harmed by the 
alkalis, being dissolved completely by a warm solution 
of caustic soda. High temperature harms wool. 



FLAX 43 

FLAX 

Next to wool and cotton, flax is used most largely 
in our textile manufactures. 
The linen fiber consists of 
the bast cells of certain spe- 
cies of flax grown in Eu- 
rope, Africa, and the Uni- 
ted States. All bast fibers 
are obtained near the out- 
er surface of the plant stems. 
The pith and w r oody tissues 
are of no value. The flax 
plant is an annual and to ob- 
tain the best fibers it must be 
gathered before it is fully 
ripe. To obtain seed from 
which the best quality of lin- 
seed oil can be made it is 
usually necessary to sacrifice 
the quality of the fibers to 
some extent. flax 

Unlike cotton, flax is contaminated by impurities Treatment 
from which it must be freed before it can be woven 
into cloth. The first process to which the freshly 
pulled flax is submitted is that of "rippling" or the 
removal of the seed capsules. Retting, next in order, 
is the most important operation. This is done to 
remove the substances which bind the bast fibers to 
each other and to remove the fiber from the central 




FLAX 



45 



woody portion of the stem. This consists of steeping 
the stalks in water. 

(i) Cold water retting, either running or stagnant Retting 
water. 

(2) Dew retting. 

(3) Warm water retting. 




RETTING TANK 
A— Inlet; ^—Undisturbed Water; C— Bundles of Flax. 



Cold water retting in running water is practiced in 
Belgium. Retting in stagnant water is the method 
usually employed in Ireland and -Russia. The retting 
in stagnant water is more rapidly done, but there is 
danger of over-retting on account of the organic mat- 
ter retained in the water which favors fermentation. 
In this case the fiber is weakened. 

In dew retting, the flax is spread on the field and 
exposed to the action of the weather for several weeks 



'LAX 



47 



without any previous steeping. This method of retting 
is practiced in Germany and Russia. Warm water 
retting and chemical retting have met with limited 
success. 

When the ret- 
ting is complete, 
the flax is set up 
in sheaves to 
dry. The next 
operations con- 
sist of "break- 
ing," "scutch- 
ing," and 
"hackling" and 
are now done by 
machinery. fibers of flax 

.Breaking removes the woody center from the retted 
and dried flax by being passed through a series of 
fluted rollers. The particles of woody matter adher- 
ing to the fibers are detached by scutching. 

Hackling or combing still further separates the 
fibers into their finest filaments — "line" and "tow." 
The "flax line" is the long and valuable fiber ; the tow, 
the short coarse tangled fiber which is spun and used 
for weaving coarse linen. 

When freed from all impurities the chief physical 
characteristics of flax are its snowy whiteness, silky 
luster and great tenacity. The individual fibers may 




Hackling 



Character- 
istics of 
Linen 




FLAX 

A, Unthrashed Straw; B, Retted; C, Cleaned or Scutched; D, 

. Hackled or Dressed. 

(Photograph of C. R. Dodge). 




HACKLING FLAX BY HAND 
The "Tow" Is Seen at the Left and a Bunch of "Flax line" on 

the Bench. 

(Photograph of C. R. Dodge, Special Agent U. S. Department of 

Agriculture. 



50 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

be from ten to twelve inches in length ; they are much 
greater in diameter than cotton. It is less pliant and 
elastic than cotton and bleaches and dyes less readily. 
Linen cloth is a better conductor of heat than cotton 
and clothing made from it is cooler. When pure, it is, 
like cotton, nearly pure cellulose. 

Besides the linen, there is a great number of bast 
fibers fit for textile purposes, some superior, some in- 
ferior. India alone has over three hundred plants 
that are fiber yielding. One-third of these furnish 
useful fibers for cordage and fabrics. The next in 

Ramie importance to linen is ramie or rhea, and China grass. 
China grass comes from a different plant but is about 
the same as ramie. The staple is longer and finer than 
linen. The great strength of yarn made from it is due 
to length of the staple. 

The variety and great value of the ramie fibers has 
long been recognized, but difficulties attending the 
separation and degumming of the fibers have pre- 
vented its employment in the manufactures to any 
great extent. The native Chinese split and scrape the 
plant stems, steeping them in water. .The common 
retting process used for flax is not effective on account 
of the large amount of gummy matter, and although 
easy to bleach it is difficult to dye in full bright shades 
without injuring the luster of the fibers. 
Jute Jute and hemp belong to the lower order of bast 

Hemp fibers. The fiber is large and is unfit for any but the 




JUTE GROWING IN LOUISIANA 

From Culture of Hemp and Jute, Report of U. S. Department of 

Agriculture. 



SILK 53 

coarsest kind of fabrics. Jute is mainly cultivated 
in Bengal. The fiber is separated from the plant by 
retting, beating, etc. 

Olona, the textile fiber of Hawaii, is found to have oiona 
promising qualities. This plant resembles ramie and 
belongs to the nettle family also, but it is without the 
troublesome resin of the ramie. The fiber is fine, light, 
strong, and durable. 

The Philippines are rich in fiber producing plants. 
The manila hemp is the most prominent, of which 
coarse cloth is woven, besides the valuable cordage. 
The sisal hemp, pineapple, yucca, and a number of 
fiber plants growing in the southern part of the United 
States are worthy of note. These fiber industries are 
conducted in a rude way, the fiber being cleaned by 
hand, except the pineapple. 

SILK 

The silk fiber is the most perfect as well as the most 
beautiful of all fibers. It is nearly faultless, fine and 
continuous, often measuring from iooo to 4000 feet 
long, without a scale, joint, or a blemish, though not 
of the same diameter or fineness throughout its entire 
length, as it becomes finer as the interior of the cocoon 
is approached. Silk differs from all other vegetable or 
animal fibers by being devoid of all cellular structure. 

Southern Europe leads in the silk worm culture — where 
Italy, southern France, and Turkey, with China and 
India. Several species of moths, natives of India, 
China, and Japan, produce the wild silk. The most 



54 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

important of the "wild silks" are the Tussah. Silk 
plush and the coarser varieties of buff colored fabrics 
are made of this silk. While manufacturers do not 
favor the wild silk, the coarse uneven weave and soft- 
ness make it a favorite with artists and it is being used 
for interior decoration as well as for clothing, 
suk The silk of commerce begins with an tgg no bigger 
than a mustard seed, out of which comes a diminutive 
caterpillar, which is kept in a frame and fed upon 
mulberry leaves. When the caterpillars are full grown, 
they climb upon twigs placed for them and begin to 
spin or make the cocoon. The silk comes from two 
little orifices in the head in the form of a glutinous 
gum which hardens into a fine elastic fiber. With 
a motion of the head somewhat like the figure eight, 
the silk worm throws this thread around the body 
from head to tail until at last it is entirely enveloped. 
The body grows smaller and the thread grows finer 
until at last it has spun out most of the substance of 
the body and the task is done. 

If left to itself, when the time came, the moth would 
eat its way out of the cocoon and ruin the fiber. A 
few of the best cocoons are saved for a new supply of 
caterpillars ; the remainder are baked at a low heat 
which destroys the worm but preserves the silk. This 
now becomes the cocoon of commerce. 
Reeling Next the cocoons go to the reelers who wind the 

Sllk filaments into the silk yarn that makes the raw ma- 



SILK 



55 



terial of our mills. The cocoons are thrown into warm 
water mixed with soap in order to dissolve the gum. 
The outer or coarser covering is brushed off down to 




SILK:-CATEkPILLAR, COCOON, CHRYSALIS, MOTH 

the real silk and the end of the thread found. Four 
or five cocoons are wound together, the sticky fibers 
clinging to each other as they pass through the various 
guides and are wound as a single thread on the reels. 



56 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Organize 

and 

Tram 



Boiling 
Off 



Loading 
Silk 



The silk is dried and tied into hanks or skeins. As 
the thread unwinds from the cocoon, it becomes 
smaller, so other threads must be added. 

At the mill the raw silk goes to the "throwster" who 
twists the silk threads ready for the loom. These 
threads are of two kinds — "organize" or warp and 
"tram" or filling. The warp runs the long way of 
woven fabric or parallel with the selvage and it must 
be strong, elastic, and not easily parted by rubbing. 
To prepare the warp, two threads of raw silk are 
slightly twisted. Twist is always put into yarn of 
any kind to increase its strength. These threads are 
united and twisted together and this makes a strong 
thread capable of withstanding any reasonable strain 
in the loom and it will not roughen. For the woof or 
tram which is carried across the woven cloth on the 
shuttle, the thread should be as loose and fluffy as 
possible. Several threads are put together, subjected 
to only a very slight twist — just enough to hold the 
threads together so they will lie evenly in the finished 
fabric. 

After the yarn leaves the spinners it is again run off 
on reels to be taken to the dye house. First the yarn 
is boiled off in soapy water to remove the remaining 
gum. Now the silk takes on its luster. Before it was 
dull like cotton. The silk is now finer and harder 
and is known as "souple." 

The silk fiber has a remarkable property of absorb- 
ing certain metallic salts, still retaining much of its 



SILK 



57 



luster. This process is known as "loading" or "weight- 
ing/' and gives increased body and weight to the silk. 
Silk without weighting is known as "pure dye," of 
which there is little made, as such goods take too 
much silk. 




REELING SILK 

For the weighting of white or light colored silk 
goods, tin crystals (stanous chloride) are used and for 
dark shades and black, iron salts and tannin. By this 
means the original weight of the fiber may be increased 
three or four hundred per cent. This result is not 
attained, however, except through the weakening of 
the fiber. 



58 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Action of 

Common 

Salt 



Artificial 
Silk 



Character- 
istics 
of Silk 



Value of 
Raw Fibers 



Common salt has a very curious action on weighted 
silk. It slowly weakens the fiber. A silk dress may 
be ruined by being splashed with salt water at the sea- 
shore. Most often holes appear after a dress comes 
back from the cleaners ; these he may not be to blame 
for, as salt is abundant in nearly all the bodily secre- 
tions, — tears, perspiration, urine. 

Artificial silk is made by dissolving cellulose ob- 
tained from cotton. It is lacking in strength and water 
spoils all kinds manufactured at present. 

Silk, like wool, has the property of absorbing con- 
siderable moisture without becoming perceptibly damp. 
Like wool and all the animal fibers, it is harmed by 
alkalis. The important physical properties of silk are 
its beautiful luster, strength, elasticity and the readi- 
ness with which it takes dyes. Silk combines well with 
other fibers, animal and vegetable. 

A comparison of the relative value of textile fibers 
may be seen from the following approximate prices : 
Cotton — $.07 to $.14 per pound; loss in cleaning and 

bleaching 5 per cent. 
Flax — $.12 to $.30 per pound; loss in cleaning and 

bleaching about 20 per cent. 
Wool — $.15 to $.30 per pound; loss in scouring 20 to 

60 per cent. 
Raw Silk — $7.00 to $10.00 per pound; loss in "boiling 
off" about 30 per cent which is made up and much 
more by "loading." 



MODERN METHODS 

All the complex processes and machinery of the 
textile industry are 'but developments of the old-time 
methods of the home. Brief outlines only will be given 
here for the processes are most intricate in detail. 

SPINNING 

The spinning of cotton yarn (thread) is typical of 
all the fibers. The stages may be divided into — 
i. Opening and picking. 

2. Carding. 

3. Combing. 

4. Drawing. 

5. Spinning. 

The picking and carding have for their object the 
removal of all foreign substances with as little damage 
to the fiber as possible. The foreign substances in 
cotton are sand, dirt, pieces of leaves, seed, husk, etc., 
which have become mixed with the fiber during the 
process of growing, ginning and transportation. 

The cotton bales are opened - and thrown into the 

automatic feeder which carries up a layer of cotton on 

a spiked apron from which it is removed by a rapidly 

revolving "doffer" underneath which is a screen which 

catches some of the dirt. It is next fed between rolls 

in front of a rapidly revolving blunt-edged knife which 

throws out more of the dirt through a screen. There 

is a suction of air through the screen which helps 

remove the foreign substances. The cotton passes 

59 



Picking 

and 

Carding 



Cleaning 



60 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

through several of such, machines, being formed into 
a soft web or "lap" which is wound into a roll. 
Carding The carding machine further cleans the fibers and 
lays them in a general parallel position. From this 
machine the web is formed into "sliver," a loose rope 




COTTON OPENER AND PICKER 

The cotton from the bale is thrown into A, carried by the spiked aprons 
Z? and C, evened by £, removed from the apron by F (some of the 
dirt falls through the screen into box C) is beaten by the revolving 
" knife," N P, more dirt being removed through screen JV } then 
goes through the flue Cto the next machine. 

of cotton fiber about two inches in diameter. This is 
received in circular cans. 
Combing The combing is omitted for short fiber cotton, but 
is used in worsted spinning and with long staple cotton 
to remove the short fibers. Cotton to be used for 



SPINNING 



61 



making yarn suitable for hosiery, underwear, sewing 
thread, lace, and for very fine cotton fabrics is carded. 
In drawing, from six to sixteen "slivers" are run 
together and the fibers drawn out in several stages 
until the soft rope is about an eighth of an inch in 
diameter, called ".roving.' 1 This tends to get rid of any 
unevenness and makes the fibers all parallel. From 
this machine the roving is wound on a bobbin ready 



for the 



frame 




COTTON CARD 
The roll of webbing A is beaten and transferred to the cylinder H H, 
carded by the spiked belt E, removed by the "doffer" and formed 
into a "sliver" which runs into the can M. 

The spinning frame may have a hundred spindles 
01 more, each one of which is drawing out its supply 
of "roving" to the required size of yarn and giving it 
the twist necessary to bind the fibers together. The 
yarn to be used for the warp is given a harder twist 
so that it may be strong enough to stand the strain in 
weaving. The yarn for filling is usually left soft. 



Spinning 




RECEIVING THE "SLIVER" AT THE BACK OP THE DRAW- 
ING FRAME. 



WEAVING 



69 



The yarn for warp is now usually given a coating or 
"sizing" of starch and gums so that the thread may 
not become unwound and break during weaving. 

The process of spinning is much the same for flax 
and for wool, although somewhat differently con- 
structed machines must be used. Flax is usually spun 
wet. 

WEAVING 

The modern power driven loom is a wonderful piece 
of machinery. The principle of its operation is essen- 
tially the same as the hand loom, but it is almost per- 
fectly automatic in its action, a man or woman being 
able to tend from ten to fifteen looms weaving plain 
cotton goods. 

The yarn coming from the spinning frame is some- 
times dyed before weaving. The warp is formed by 
winding as many threads as the width of the fabric is 
to contain on a slowly revolving drum, called a "beam," 
in the same relative position in which they are to ap- 
pear in the finished cloth. From its position on the 
beam at the back of the loom, each thread is brought 
through its particular loop or eye with the heddle, 
then passes through its own slot in the reed, and down 
to the roller or "cloth beam" that is to take up the 
woven cloth. This is called "drawing in the warp." 
If there is a piece of cloth coming from the loom, the 
work is very simple, for the ends of the new warp are 
tied to the ends remaining from the warp that has 
been woven out. 



Modern 
Loom 



Warping 



70 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING. 



The 
Harness 



Jacquard 
Loom 



The shuttle with its bobbin, containing the yarn of 
the filling, is much the same as is used in the hand 
looms, except for form and size, which varies accord- 
ing to the requirements and size of the warp being 
used. At first only one shuttle was used, but in 1760 
Robert Kay invented a mechanism by which several 
shuttles containing different grades or colors of yarn 
might be used. Each throw of the shuttle across the 
width of the goods is called a "pick." 

In making a cloth with plain weave, that is, with 
every thread interlacing with every other, as in darn- 
ing, only two harnesses are required, but the modern 
loom may have up to about twenty-four harnesses so 
that an infinite variety of weaves may be obtained. 
Various cams and levers move the harness frame and 
so raise or lower the threads required for the design. 

The Jacquard loom is arranged on a different prin- 
ciple. In this loom, all kinds of fancy weaves may be 
obtained as in table linen, tapestries and carpets. Each 
warp thread is supplied with a separate hook and by 
means of perforated card the desired threads are raised 
or depressed at each throw of the shuttle. The cards 
are worked out by the designer. A set of a thousand 
or more cards may be required to produce the desired 
design. Jacquard looms are sometimes to be seen at 
fairs and expositions weaving handkerchiefs with some 
picture design. 




JACQUARD HAND LOOM 
Weaving Ingrain Carpet at Hull House. 



WEAVES 

The great variety of weaves found in the textiles 
of to-day are modifications of a few fundamental 
weaves invented in the earliest times. 

The chief fundamental weaves are : 
(i) Plain weave. 

(2) Twills. 

(3) Sateen. 

To which may be added the derivatives — 

(4) Rib weave. 

(5) Basket weave. 

These do not include the many fancy weaves, too 




DIAGRAM OF FANCY KNIT GOODS 

numerous to classify, and the open work weaves, made 
in the Leno loom, in which some of the threads are 
crossed. Knit goods are made by the interlooping of 
a single thread, by hand or on circular knitting ma- 



WEAVES 



73 



chines and lace by an analogous process, using several 
systems of threads. Felt is made up of matted fibers 
of fur and wool and has no thread structure. 





Twill 





Ce^simere Twill £>zX<zz,n 

WEAVE DIAGRAMS 

The plain weave is the most common, nearly all 
light weight goods being thus woven. In plain weav- 
ing, each thread of both warp and filling passes alter- 
nately over and under the threads at right angles. 
This makes .a comparatively open cloth, requiring the 



Plain 
Weave 



74 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



smallest amount of yarn for the surface covered. This 
weave is used in nearly all cotton goods, as in muslins, 
sheetings, calicoes, ginghams,, and thin woolen goods. 
Even in the plain weave variety is obtained by having 



SECTIONS OF WEAVES 

-Plain weave; b— Prunella twill; c— Cassimere twi 
down twill. 



d— Swans- 



SOme of the threads larger than others, either in warp 
or filling or both, thus producing stripes and checked 
effects. 
Twills After the plain weave the twill is the most common, 
being much used for dress goods, suitings, etc., as 
well as some of the thicker cottons. In this weave 
the intersections of the threads produce characteristic 
lines diagonally across the fabric, most often at an 
angle of 45 °. The twill may be hardly visible or very 



WEAVES 



75 



pronounced. The simplest twills are the so-called 
"doeskin" and "prunella." In the doeskin the rilling 
threads pass over one and under two of the warp 
threads and in the prunella twill over two and under 
one. The most common twill is the cassimere twill 
in which both the warp and filling run over two and 
under two of the threads at right angles. 





W w P m w mW\ 
Double Clofh. 



Basket 

DIAGRAM OF RIB AND BASKET WEAVE AND DOUBLE CLOTH 

A twill made by running both warp and filling under 
one and over three threads is called a swansdown twill 
and the reverse is known as the crow weave. In these 
the diagonal twilled effect is much more marked. 
Various twills are often combined with each other 
and with plain weave, making a great variety of 
texture. Numerous uneven twills are made, two over 
and three under, etc., etc. 



Uneven 
Twills 



76 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Sateen 
Weave 



In the sateen weave, nearly all of either the warp or 
the rilling threads are on the surface, the object being 
to produce a smooth surface fabric like sateen. With 




Rib and 
Basket 
Weaves 



TEXTILE DESIGN 
A — On cross-section paper ; B — Graphic diagram. 

this weave it is possible to use a cotton warp and silk 
filling, having most of the silk appear on the surface 
of the fabric. 

The rib and basket weaves are derivatives of the 
plain weave, two or more threads replacing the single 



WEAVES 77 

strand. In the rib weave, either the warp or the fill- 
ing threads run double or more, thus making a corded 
effect. In the basket weave, both warp and filling are 
run double or treble, giving a coarse texture. This 
weave is sometimes called the panama weave. 

In the thicker fabrics like men's suitings and over- Double 
, 1 , • r 1 1 cloth 

coatings, there may be a double series of warp threads, 
only one series appearing on the face of the goods, 
and in the still thicker fabrics, there may be a double 
set of both warp and filling threads, making double 
cloth, the two sides of which may be entirely different 
in color and design. 

In weaving plush, velvet and velveteen, loops are velvet 
made in the filling or warp threads which are after- 
wards cut, producing the pile. 



Madder 
Bleach 



Singeing 

and 

Shearing 



BLEACHING, DYING, PRINTING, FINISHING 

When the cloth comes from the loom it is by no 
means ready for the market. Nearly all kinds are 
washed and pressed and in some classes of goods the 
finishing process is very elaborate. 

BLEACHING AND DYING 

The fiber may be dyed in a loose or unspun state, 
as is customary with wool ; after it has been spun and 
is in the form of yarn, as in the case of silk and linen ; 
and when it has been woven to form cloth, as is most 
commonly the case with cotton. 

The bleaching of cotton involves a number of steps, 
the most thorough process being called the "madder 
bleach," in which the cloth is (i) wet out, (2) boiled 
with lime water, ^(3) rinsed, (4) treated with acid, 
(5) rinsed, (6) boiled with soap and alkali, (7) rinsed, 
(8) treated with bleaching powder solution, (9) rinsed, 
(10) treated with acid, (11) finally rinsed again. All 
this is done by machines and hundreds of yards go 
through the process at a time. The product is a pure 
white cloth suitable for dyeing light shades and for 
white goods. When cloth is to be dyed a dark shade 
the treatment is less elaborate. 

If the cloth is to be printed for calicoes, before 
bleaching it is singed by passing through gas flames 
or over a red hot plate and then sheared in a shearing 
machine constructed somewhat on the principle of the 

78 



DYEINi 



79 



lawn mower, the cloth being run close to the rapidly 
revolving knives. 

Although cotton is usually dyed in the piece, it may 
be dyed in the form of yarn, as for ginghams, and 
sometimes before being woven, in the loose state. 

Cotton is more difficult to dye than wool or silk. 
Although there are now what are called "direct" cotton 
colors, the usual process is to first treat the cotton 
goods with a "mordant" — various salts of aluminum, 
chromium, iron, tin and copper, fixing these on the 
fiber by means of tannin or alkali. The mordanted 
cloth is then entered into the dye bath and boiled for 
an hour or longer, until the desired shade is obtained 
or the dye bath exhausted. The salts of aluminum are 
used as mordants for the lighter shades, the salts of 
chromium for the medium shades, and iron for the 
dark shades. In general, chromium mordants give the 
fastest dyes. 

The discovery of the so-called aniline dyes has 
greatly increased the variety of colors available. Al- 
though some of the first aniline dyes to be made were 
not fast to washing or to light and they thus received 
a bad reputation, they are now to be obtained which 
compare favorably in fastness with the natural dye 
stuffs such as cochineal, madder, etc., provided suf- 
ficient time and care are given to dyeing. The chief 
trouble is that in the endeavor to furnish cheap goods, 
processes are hurried and results are unsatisfactory. 



Mordant 
Colors 



Aniline 
Dyes 



8o 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Home 
Dyeing 



Natural 
Dyestuffs 



Dyeing 

Woolen 

and Silk 



Home dyeing is practically confined to the use of 
direct aniline colors. These are put up in small quan- 
tities and sold in many places. Directions for their 
use are given on the packages. The chief precautions 
are to have the goods perfectly clean and thoroughly 
wet before entering into the dye bath (this is by no 
means as easy as one might think), and to keep the 
goods in motion while dyeing so as to prevent un- 
evenness of shade. Wool and silk dyes cannot be used 
for cotton and linen, nor the reverse. Of course cloth 
already colored cannot be dyed a lighter shade of the 
same color and the original shade must be very light 
to enable one to change the color, say from red to 
blue, etc. The original color always modifies that of 
the dye somewhat and it is best to experiment first with 
a small portion of the dye and cloth. Rather dark 
shades are apt to be most successful. 

Indigo for blue, madder for Turkey red, logwood 
with fustic for black, cutch or gambia for browns on 
cotton are about all the natural dyestuffs which are 
used to any extent commercially at the present time. 
The artificial product alizerin, the active principle of 
madder, has about superseded the natural dyestuff, 
and artificial indigo is gaining on the natural product. 

Linen is bleached and dyed in much the same man- 
ner as cotton, although the process is more difficult. 
The process of bleaching weakens linen more than 
cotton. 

Woolen and silk may be dyed directly with a great 
variety of dyes without the addition of a mordant, 



PRINTING 81 

although they are often mordanted. Both must be 
well washed or scoured before dyeing. When white or 
delicate shades on woolen or silk are desired they are 
bleached. The bleaching is usually done with sul- 
phurous acid gas, the cloth or yarn being exposed in 
a damp condition to the fumes of burning sulplur. 

Were it not for the expense, hydrogen peroxide 
would be the ideal bleaching agent for the animal 
fibers. 

PRINTING 

A great variety of colored designs are produced on 
the loom by using different colored warp and filling 
yarns and different weaves, but in all these the designs 
are easily made only in somewhat rectangular patterns. 

Print goods have doubtless evolved from the deco- 
ration of fabrics with the brush. Block printing was B i ock an d 
first used, the design being engraved in relief on blocks Printing 
of wood. These are dipped in the colored paste, 
spread thinly, and applied to successive portions of the 
cloth by hand. These blocks are now replaced in the 
printing machine by engraved copper rolls, the design 
being such that it is repeated once or a number of 
times in each revolution of the cylinder. There is 
a printing roll for each color of the design. Sometimes 
both the background and the design are printed on the 
cloth, but the more common process is for the design 
only to be printed on the cloth which may be dyed 
afterwards. In the paste of the printed design there 



82 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Fixing 
the Print 



Warp 
Printing 



is some chemical which prevents the portions printed 
from taking the dye, consequently these remain white 
or a different color. This is called the ''resist" process. 
Another process is to first dye the cloth and then print 
on some chemical which, when the calico is steamed, 
discharges the color. This is called the "discharge" 
process. Sometimes this weakens the goods in the 
places where the color has been discharged. 

The color paste used for printing contains both the 
dye and the mordant. After the calico has been 
printed it is steamed to develop and fix the color, 
washed, sometimes very slightly bleached, to clear the 
whites, and usually given a sizing of starch or gum, 
and then pressed and dried by passing over slowly 
revolving, steam-heated drums. 

In general print goods are not so fast to washing 
and to light as those that have been dyed in the regu- 
lar way, although the better grades are reasonably fast. 

Prints are sometimes made in imitation of the more 
costly gingham or other goods in which the color 
design is made in the weaving. It is easy to detect 
the imitation as the design of printed fabrics does not 
penetrate to the back of the cloth. 

Sometimes the warps are printed before the cloth 
is woven, thus giving very pretty indefinite designs, 
especially in silk. 



FINISHING 83 



FINISHING 



The finishing of woolen and worsted goods has much Burling 



and 



to do with their appearance. No cloth comes from the Mending 
loom in a perfect condition, therefore inspection is the 
first process. Loose threads and knots are carefully 
cut off by the "burler" and imperfections in the weav- 
ing rectified by the "menders." The goods may now be 
singed and sheared. 

Woolens, and sometimes worsteds, are next "fulled" Fulling 
or felted by being run round and round in a machine 
while moistened with soap. The friction of the cloth 
on itself produces some heat which, with the mois- 
ture and soap, causes the goods to shrink in length and 
width while increasing in thickness. During this proc- 
ess, "flocks" are often added, especially for smooth 
finished woolen goods. These flocks are fine fibers of Flocks 
wool obtained from the shearing machine or made by 
cutting up old woolen cloth. They are felted with the 
fibers of the goods and add weight and firmness. 

After the fulling, the goods is washed to remove the 
soap, dyed, if desired, and often "speck dyed" with a 
special dye which colors the bits of burs, remaining 
in the cloth, but not the wool. The next process is 
the "gigging" which raises the nap. The cloth is run 
close to rapidly revolving "teazels" and also may be the Nap 
run through a napping machine. It may be sheared 
again and then steamed and pressed. This is but a 
brief outline ; there are generally more processes. 

Woolen cloth coming from the loom may be so 



84 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

treated in the finishing room as to produce fabrics 
entirely different in appearance. One of the chief ob- 
jects of the finishing is to give to the cloth as fine an 
appearance as possible to attract the buyer. Much of 
the fine finish disappears through wear, especially with 
inferior goods made from poor materials. The wear- 
ing quality of the goods is primarily dependent upon 
the strength and quality of the fibers of which it is 
made, so that the yarn of the filling and the warp 
should be examined when selecting materials. In gen- 
eral, hard twisted yarn will give the better wearing 
cloth. 



FABRICS 

The present day shops offer such a great variety of 
fabrics, that only a few of the most important can be 
mentioned here. 

COTTON GOODS 

Cotton is cool and heavy, is a non-conductor of heat, 
crushes easily, but like all vegetable fibers it may be 
laundered without injury to the fibers. Cotton does 
not take the darker dyes as well as animal fibers and 
for this reason it does not combine satisfactorily with 
wool. As an adulterant it wears shabby and loses its 
brightness. It is only when cotton does not pretend 
to be anything else that it is our most useful and dur- 
able textile. The readiness with which cotton takes 
the lighter dyes and improved methods of ginning, 
spinning, and weaving have made cotton goods supe- 
rior to any other for summer use. 

Muslin, calico, and gingham must always head the Muslin 
list of cotton goods. Muslin is coarse and fine, 
bleached, unbleached, and half bleached, twilled or 
plain weave. Under the head of muslin brought to a 
high degree of perfection in weave and finish will be 
found dimity, mull, Indian lawn, organdie, Swiss, and 
Madras, and a host of others equally beautiful. Mad- 
ras muslin has a thin, transparent ground with a heav- 
ily raised pattern woven of a soft, thick thread unlike 
the ground work. Waste is used for the pattern. Or- 
gandie muslin is soft, opaque, white, or colored, with 



86 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

raised dots of pattern and plain weave. Dimity has a 
fine cord running with the selvage. 

Gingham is a smooth, close cotton usually woven in 
checks or stripes. The yarn is dyed before being- 
woven, making the cloth alike on both sides, and the 
weave is either plain or twilled. Ginghams are also 
woven of silk and cotton mixed or of silk and ramie. 

Cretonne, chintz, dress linings, crape, velveteen, and 
lace are made of cotton. 

Flannelette, which is woven to imitate flannel, is 
spft and light and is preferred by many who find 
woolen irritating. It does not shrink as woolen does 
and is made in beautiful, soft colors and the best 
grades do not fade. For nightdresses, underwear, 
and sheets, during cold weather this inexpensive fabric 
is unequaled. 

Among the heavier cotton fabrics may be mentioned 
denim and ticking which are now printed in beautiful 
designs and colors and used for interior decoration 
as well as for clothing and bedding. 

The great variety of fibers, the many different ways 
of preparing each for manufacture, the differences in 
the preparatory processes in spinning, weaving, or 
in any of the later processes of finishing produce the 
varied appearance of the finished product in cotton as 
in other fabrics. 

LINENS 

Linen is one of the oldest textiles; it was used by 
the early Egyptians for the priests' garments and for 



LINENS 87 

the wrappings of mummies. Many housekeepers think 
that there is no material for sheets and pillow cases 
comparable to linen, but it is not an ideal dressing for 
beds, for in spite of its heavier body, it wrinkles and 
musses much more readily than good cotton. For 
table service, however, for the toilet, and for minor 
ornamental purposes linen has no equal. Its smooth- 
ness of texture, its brilliancy which laundering in- 
creases, its wearing qualities, its exquisite freshness, 
make it the one fabric fit for the table. 

Table linen is woven plain and figured, checked and 
diapered. In the figured or damask cloth the patterns 
stand out distinctly. This is due to the play of light 
and shade on the horizontal and vertical lines. In some 
lights the pattern is scarcely noticeable. When buy- 
ing a cloth, let it be between the observer and the light, 
for in this position the pattern will show to the best 
advantage. There is a certain amount of shade on all 
horizontal lines or of shadow cast by them, while the 
vertical lines are illuminated, thus although the warp 
and woof threads are of the same color, the pattern 
seems to stand out from the background. 

Linen should not be adulterated. It should be for 
use and not for show, for use brightens and whitens it. 

Linen adulterated with cotton becomes fuzzy 
through wear because of the much shorter cotton 
fibers. The tendency can often be seen by rolling the 
goods between the thumb and fingers. 



Table 

Linen 



88 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

Crash of different widths and quality furnishes tea 
towels, "buck," damask and other weaves come in vari- 
ous widths and may be purchased by the yard. Russia 
crash is best for kitchen towels. 



Standard 
Goods 



Tweeds 



The serges are woven of combed wool 
worsted fabrics of me- 



WOOLENS AND WORSTEDS 

The many grades of wool with the great variety of 
weaves and finish make an almost infinite variety of 
woolen and worsted fabrics. New goods are con- 
stantly being put upon the market, or old goods 
with new names. Standard goods, such as serges, 
cashmere, Henrietta cloth, and covert cloth, are 
always to be found in the shops. These are all 
twilled goods. 

and are harsh, tough, springy, 
dium and heavy weight, with a distinct twill, rather 
smooth surface, and plainer back. There are also 
loosely woven serges. Cashmere and Henrietta cloth 
have a fine, irregular twill — the finest made. They 
are woven with silk, wool, and cotton warp, but the 
latter gives an inferior textile. 

Tweeds and homespuns are names given to coarse 
cloth of which the wool is spun by Hand and woven 
on hand looms. These goods vary according to the lo- 
cality in which they are made. The wool is mixed 
without regard to color, the yarn being spun and 
twisted in the most primitive manner, giving the cloth 
an uneven, unfinished appearance. These are among 
the best wearing cloths on the market and are espe- 



WOOLENS AND WORSTEDS 89 

cially suitable for suits that will receive hard wear. 
Scotland and Ireland are famous for their tweeds and 
homespuns and what are known as the "cottage indus- 
tries" have been recently revived in those countries 
as the products of their hand looms have become de- 
servedly popular abroad. 

The "Harris Tweeds," made on the Island of Lewis Harris 

T W66(ls 

and Harris, north of Scotland, are in the old style by 
the "crofters." After weaving the goods are 
"waulked" — milled or felted — with the bare feet, ac- 
companied by singing the waulking song and beating 
time with the feet. The dyeing is done in pots in the 
old-fashioned way and until recently the dyestuffs 
were obtained from mosses, lichens, heather, broom, 
and other plants. Now, however, some of the best 
aniline dyes are being used. A peculiar characteristic 
of the Harris tweed is the peat smoke smell caused by 
the fabi ic being woven in the crofters' cottages, where 
there is always a strong odor of peat "reek" from the 
peat which is burned for fuel. The ordinary so-called 
Harris tweeds sold in this country are made on the 
southern border of Scotland, in factories, and are but 
imitations of the real Harris tweeds. 

The light colored tweeds — natural color of wool — 
come from the island of St. Kilda. This island stands 
out in mid ocean, barren and wild, devoid of plants 
or shrubs of any kind for making dyes. The crofters 
content themselves without dvestufTs. The industrv 



90 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Mohair 



Alpaca 



is maintained by nobility to help the islanders and the 
fabrics are fashionable and high priced. 

Covert cloth is a twilled woven cloth of great beauty 
and durability. It is rather heavy, of hard finish and 
is used for jackets and winter suits. To this list of 
woolen goods may be added the crape cloth with 
crinkled, rough surface, nun's veiling, flannel which is 
woven in a variety of ways, broadcloth, wool canvas, 
and poplins. This list includes only a few of the fab- 
rics manufactured, but these are always to be found 
on the market, are always good in color and are the 
best of all wool textiles for wear. 

Mohair is a material made from the hair of the 
angora goat, woven with silk, wool, worsted, or cotton 
warp. It is a dust-shedding material, does not shrink, 
and bears hard wear well. Alpaca, on account of its 
softness, elasticity, and exemption from shaggy defects, 
combines admirably with cotton in the manufacture of 
fine goods, which attains almost the glossy brightness 
of silk. The yarn is used for weaving alpaca linings 
and light coatings for warm climates. 



Loading 
Silk 



SILKS 

Many silks can be washed without injury to the fi- 
bers, but they cannot be boiled without destroying the 
luster. Silks may be had in various widths and end- 
less variety of weaves. Many are reversible. 

Silks are adulterated with cotton and ramie fibers. 
The chemicals used in "loading" or "dynamiting" to 
give the weight lost by cleaning or removing the gum 



Silks 



SILKS 91 

from the raw silk give to the cheaper grades the stiff, 
harsh feeling and cause the splitting and cracking of 
the silk, hence the quality of the fiber should be con- 
sidered when selecting a silk, not the weight. Taffeta 
is often heavily loaded. 

Foulard and surah are twilled silks. Corded silks 
are woven with a cord running from selvage to selv- 
age. To this class belong the grosgrains, Ottoman, 
faille Francaise — a silk resembling grosgrain, but 
softer and brighter. Irish poplins and bengalines have 
wool for the filling instead of silk. 

Great improvement has been made in the manufac- wash 
ture of wash silks. They are fine in color and have a 
glossy surface. Pongee is a beautiful, durable silk in 
different shades of natural color. It is woven in dif- 
ferent widths. This silk is especially valuable for un- 
derwear. The first cost is greater, but it outwears 
muslin or linen. It is also used for children's gar- 
ments and for outside wraps. For many purposes, no 
better textile can be found. 

Crepe de Chine is an incomparable textile possess- 
ing as much softness as strength. It is always supple, 
never creases, launders well, and comes in the most 
beautiful soft shades as well as in black and dark colors. 

Satin is distinguished by its glossy, lustrous surface, 
obtained in the weaving. 

Piled fabrics are rich, thick materials made of silk, piled 
wool, mohair, and cotton, comprising the velvets, vel- 
veteens, plushes, cordurovs, and wilton and velvet car- 



Fabrics 



92 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Velvet 



Velveteen 



pets. The soft, raised pile is first woven in loops — 
Brussels carpet is a good example — and the loops are 
cut. The back of the goods is plain. 

Velvet has always and justly been regarded as the 
most beautiful of textiles. No matter how fashions 
change in regard to other materials, velvet never loses 
its vogue. For robes and cloaks, for mantles and jack- 
ets, for hats and bonnets, for trimming and decoration, 
velvet has been popular for a greater period than the 
life of any living mortal, but never before has it been so 
cheap, so varied and so beautiful as it is now. One 
can in the passing throng of pedestrians on any 
crowded street see the use and abuse of this noble 
material. There is scarcely an article of dress into 
whose composition it does not enter and it is worn 
upon all occasions. Many things have brought about 
this result. The tendency of fashion is towards the 
decorative and picturesque and in these qualities vel- 
vet excels all other fabrics. Silk waste and thread are 
cheaper than ever before so that velvet costs much less 
than formerly. The men behind the looms have 
evolved more designs and novelties in the making of 
velvet than has ever been known and colors beautiful 
in themselves are seemingly enhanced when applied to 
velvet. 

All that has been said in favor of velvet applies 
equally as well to the best velveteen, — in fact ,it is a 
textile of even greater value and beauty than velvet. 
The best grades are not cheap, but they wear better 



FABRICS 93 

than silk velvet, are fine and silky, excellent in color 
and sheen, launder well, and do not press-mark as 
does silk velvet. Velveteen takes the dye so beautifully 
and finishes so well that it has taken rank with our 
best standard fabrics. It is made entirely of cotton. 
It varies in width but is always wider than velvet. 

A knowledge of the various widths of textiles is im- widths of 

° • 11 Fabrics 

portant in buying. Transparent fabrics are usually 
wider than heavier goods made of the same fiber. 
Muslin is wider than calico or ordinary print, and thin 
silk fabrics such as mull and chiffon are wider than 
velvet. 

In wool dress goods various distinct widths are 
known as single — thirty and thirty-six inches — double 
fold (forty-five and fifty-four inches), etc. Silk, vel- 
vet, and velveteen are single width. The velvet ranges 
from eighteen to twenty- four inches in width and vel- 
veteen twenty-seven. Bodice linings vary from thirty- 
five to thirty-eight inches ; skirt linings come in both 
single and double fold. 

Household linen including bedding varies in width 
from one yard to two and one-fourth and two and one- 
half yards for sheeting and from thirty-eight to fifty- 
four inches for pillow case muslin. 

Table linen is woven in both square and circular 
cloths of various sizes, and napkins vary in width 
from the small sizes to a yard square. 

No fixed widths can be given for any textile as 
width often changes with the weave. 



94 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

NAMES OF FABRICS 

Textiles usually take their names from the country, 
city, port, or province from whence they originated ; 
from the names of the makers ; and methods of weav- 
ing, dyeing, ornamentation, etc. The fixing of locali- 
ties, methods, etc., is oftentimes guesswork. The tex- 
tiles of to-day bearing the same name as those of the 
middle ages have nothing in common. Buckram was 
originally made in and called from Bokkara. In the 
middle ages it was costly, fine, and beautiful, used for 
church vestments, veils for covering lecterns, cathe- 
dral flags, and in the 16th century for the lining of vel- 
vet gowns. The coarse, heavy, plain-woven linen or 
cotton material known as buckram today is used for 
stiffening, etc. 

Fustian Fustian, a kind of corduroy or velveteen, was orig- 
inally woven at Fustat on the Nile. The warp was 
stout linen, the woof of cotton so twilled and cut that 
it gave a low thick pile. Chaucer's knight in the four- 
teenth century wore fustian. In the fifteenth century 
Naples was famous for the weaving of fustians. 

A cloth made in France at a town called Mustre- 
villiers was known as "mustyrd devells." 

Damask China is supposed to be the first country to weave 

patterned silks. India, Persia, Syria, and Byzantine 
Greece followed. Those were known as "diaspron" 
or diaper, a name given them at Constantinople. In 
the twelfth century, the city of Damascus, long famed 



FABRICS 95 

for her beautiful textiles, outstripped all other places 
for beauty of design and gave the Damascen or da- 
mask, so we have in modern times all fabrics whether 
of silk, cotton, wool, or linen, curiously woven and 
designed, known as damask, and diaper, which means 
pattern, is almost forgotten, or only a part of the elab- 
orate design on damask. Bandekin, a costly cloth, took 
its name from Bagdad. Dorneck an inferior damask 
woven of silk, wool, linen, thread and gold, was made 
in Flanders at the city of Dorneck. 

From the Asiatic city Mosul came the muslin used Muslin 
then as it is now throughout the world. So skilled 
were its weavers that the threads were of hair-like 
fineness. This was known as the invisible muslin, the 
weaving of which has become a lost art. To this beau- 
tiful cloth were given many fanciful and poetic names. 
It was woven with strips of gold and silver. 

Calico derives its name from the city of Calicut in Calico 
India. The city is scarcely known to-day ; it was the 
first Indian city visited by Europeans. 

In the thirteenth century Arras was famous for its 
areste or tapestry, "the noblest of the weaving arts" ; 
in it there is nothing mechanical. Mechanical weaving 
repeats the pattern on the cloth within comparatively 
narrow limits and the number of colors is in most cases 
limited to four or five. 

Silks and cottons are distinguished through their 
colors and shades. Tarsus was a purple silk. Other 
cities gave their name to various shades, according as 



96 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

they were dyed at Antioch, Alexandria, or at Naples. 
Watered or moire silk takes its name from the finish. 

From "canabis," the Latin name for hemp or flax, 
we have the word ''canvas" to mean any texture woven, 
of hempen thread. 

To this list of fabrics might be added many others of 
cotton, linen, wool, and silk with new names, closely 
resembling the old materials, having greater or less 
merit. 

The following lists of fabrics and terms may be help- 
ful for reference : 

Art linen — With round, hard twisted threads. 
"Albert cloth" — Named for England's prince, is a reversible 

all-wool material each side of different colors and so finished 

that no lining is required. It is used chiefly for overcoats 

and better known as "golf cloth," "plaid back," etc. 
Armure — A cloth woven in miniature imitation of feudal metal 

armor plates, heraldic devices, diamonds, birdseye, and 

seeded effects. 
Astrakhan — A woolen or silk material with a long and closely 

curled pile in imitation of the fur from which it is named. 
Backed-cloth worsteds or other fabrics which are woven with 

an extra layer of warp or other filling underneath the 

face, usually for increased weight and bulk. 
Batiste — The French word for lawn, fire white cotton or 

linen fabric. Sometimes printed. 
Batting or padding, cotton or wool prepared in sheets for 

quilting or interlining. 
Beaver — Similar to Kersey, but with a longer nap, soft, 

thick nap inside. 
Bedford cord — A closely woven woolen or cotton cloth having 

a raised corded surface similar to pique, used for women's 

suits. 
Bonde — A loosely woven fabric with a curly, hairy surface, 

usually made with a jersey or stockinet body. 



FABRICS 97 

Bourette — An effect of weaving produced by fancy yarns 
showing in lumps at intervals over the face of the cloth; 
used for women's and children's suits. 

Beverteen — A heavy cotton cloth used for men's hunting 
garments. 

Broadcloth — A fine woolen cloth with a glossy finished surface, 
the better grades being woven with a twilled back. It 
takes its name from its width. It is used for men's and 
women's wear. 

Buckram — A coarse, heavy, plain-woven linen or cotton ma- 
terial used for stiffening. 

Buckskin — A stout doe skin with a more defined twill. 

Butternut — The coarse brown twilled homespun cloth woven 
of wool prior to the Civil War — colored brown with dye 
from the butternut or walnut tree; used for men's wear 
and for decorative purposes. 

Cambric — Fine white linen, also made in cotton in imitation. 

Camel's hair — A beautiful, soft, silky fabric, usually woven 
like cheviot of hair of camel and goat. 

Canvas — A linen, cotton, silk, or wool cloth of • different 
weaves and widths, used for many purposes — clothing, as a 
background for embroidery, hangings, spreads, etc. 

Canton flannel — A stout, twilled cotton cloth with a nap on 
one or both sides, used for clothing and decorative pur- 
poses. 

Cassimere — A general term for all-wool fabrics woven either 
plain or twilled, coarse or fine, of woolen yarn. The pat- 
tern is always woven plain and distinct and the cloth is 
never napped. 

Castor Beaver — A heavy, milled, face-finished, all-wool cloth 
lighter in weight than ordinary beaver. 

Chinchilla — A thick, heavy, double woven fabric with a 
long napped surface curled up into little tufs in imitation 
of chinchilla fur ; used for coats. 

Clan Tartan — The plaids of the various highland clans of 
Scotland. 

Clay — A name given to serges, worsteds, and diagonals woven 
after a process of J. & P. Clay of Haddersfield, Eng- 
land. 

Coating— /Those woolen and worsted fabrics most especially 
adapted to men's dress and overcoats. 



98 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

Corduroy — A thick cotton pile material, corded or ribbed on 
the surface; used for men's, women's, and children's wear. 

Corkscrew-worsted goods — So-called from its fancied re- 
semblance to the twists of the corkscrew. 

Cotton worsted — All cotton or part cotton worsted-wove 
cloth. 

Cottonade — Stout cotton cloth in imitation of woolen or 
worsted cloth ; used for men's trousers. 

Covert — A twill-woven cloth sometimes with full face, some- 
times sheared to imitate whipcord. 

Crape cloth — A stout worsted fabric with surface in imitation 
of silk crape, used for dress coats. 

Crash — A strong, coarse linen cloth of different widths, used 
for towels, suits, table linen, hangings, bed spreads ; in 
fact, there is no end to the uses to which this textile can 
be adapted. 

Cravenette — Cloths treated and finished before weaving by 
an improved process which renders them rainproof. A 
secret process owned by the Cravenette Company and by 
Priestly & Company of England and the United States. 

Crepe — A light weight silk, silk and wool, or all wool or cot- 
ton cloth of irregular weave. 

Diagonal — A worsted cloth with prominent diagonal ridges. 

Doeskin — A compact twilled woolen, soft and pliable. 

Drap D'Alma — A fine, close, flat-ribbed, twilled fabric of 
wool or silk and wool, finished on but one side. 

Drap D'Ete — A fine, light worsted fabric woven in longitudi- 
nal cords. 

Drilling — General term for various twilled cotton stuff's used 
for lining, men's wear, and general purposes. 

Empress cloth — A heavy dress goods with napped or corded 
surface, named for the Empress Eugenia ; sometimes called 
Electrol cloth or Beretz. 

Etamine — A light woolen cloth similar to batiste and n-n's 
cloth, used for women's and children's wear. 

Faille Francaise — A soft, lustrous silk of wider cord than 
grosgrain, but narrower than ottoman. 

Farmer satin — A lining of cotton chain or warp and wool 
filling, finished with high lustre, also cr.lled Italian cloth. 

Flannel — A soft, light weight woolen fabric of which the 
yarn is but lightly twisted, plain weave or twilled ; used for 
clothing, etc. 



FABRICS 99 

Flannelette — A half cotton or all cotton flannel-like fabric. 

Frieze — A thick, shaggy, heavy nap woolen overcoat cloth. 

Gingham was first manufactured in Gonghamp in France and 
was known as Madras gingham. Seersucker gingham was 
originally a thin linen fabric made in the East Indies. 
Zephyr gingham is a soft fine variety of Scotch and French 
ginghams, are superior qualities, heavier in weight. 

Fur Beaver — A long napped cloth imitation fur. 

Grass cloth — A fine, smooth, linen woven in checks of blue 
and white, red and white, etc., used for dish towels ; also 
a thin dress material of ramie and cotton, etc. 

jrenadine — A thick silk gauze, either plain with a solid design 
or pattern upon it or combined in stripes with other weaves, 
as satin, moire, etc. 

Grosgrain — A close-woven, finely ribbed or corded silk with 
but little lustre. 

Haircloth — A cloth woven of horse hair, from which it takes 
its name, for weft with cotton or linen warp ; used for 
facings, linings, furniture cover, etc. 

Holland — A stout, plain-woven, unbleached, linen cloth used 
for linings, window shades, etc. 

Homespun — A cloth woven on hand looms or made in imita- 
tion of such cloth for both men's and women's wear. 

Hop-sacking — A plain woven canvas dress fabric of wool. 

Huchaback — A corruption of huckster-back, meaning orig- 
inally pedler's ware — Toweling made of all linen, linen and 
cotton, cotton and wool, either by the yard or as separate 
towels ; the part wool huck always separate towels. 

Irish linen — Full bleached, fine, plain woven linen used for 
shirts, collars, cuffs, etc., of different widths. 

Jersey cloth — Woolen stockinette. 

Kaikai — A thin Japanese silk. 

Kersey — A heavy, closely woven cloth with a smooth face 
and glossy finish. 

Kerseymere — A fine, twilled, woolen cloth of peculiar tex- 
ture, one thread of warp and two of woof being always 
above. 

Khaki — A light, yellow-brown colored cotton cloth used for 
army service in hot countries. 

Ladies' cloth — A fine, wide, wool flannel, slightly napped, 
simiW to broadcloth. 

tore. 



ioo TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

Lusterine — A thin, twilled, cotton lining finished with high 
lustre in imitation of silk. 

Marseilles — A sort of figured pique, used for women's and 
children's clothes and for men's coats. 

Matelasse — A silk and wool or all wool brocade, usually for 
coats. 

Melton— A stout woolen cloth, fulled, sheared, and finished 
Avithout a nap ; like Kersey, but without a gloss. 

Merino — A thin woolen fabric made of the fine wool of the 
marion sheep, generally used for women's and children's 
wear, vestings, and underclothing. 

Mohair— A shiny fabric of great durability, made from the 
wool of the Angora goat ; used for both men's and women's 
clothing. 

Moire— The water effect produced on silk, moreen, and like 
fabrics. The finest watered silks are known as _ Moire 

Antique. Moreen is a woolen or mixed fabric to which the 
same process has been applied. 

Moleskin — A medium heavy twilled cotton cloth, napped in- 
side; used for men's wear and ornamental purposes. 

Muslin— A cotton fabric of various classes and names; 
bleached and unbleached, half bleached, cambric, book mus- 
lin, long cloth, mull, organdie, lawns, etc. ; used for all 
purposes. 

Nankeen— A peculiar fabric of a pale dull yellow or orange 
color, woven out of the fibrous tissue which lies between 
the outer and sap-wood of a tree or shrub that grows in 
the East Indies and especially in China. The name is de- 
rived from the city of Nankin. An imitation is made out 
of cotton, colored with Annato. The genuine nankeen 
is never more than eighteen or twenty inches wide and is 
used for light summer clothing. 
Overcoating — Fabrics woven especially for overcoats — covert, 
kersey, melton, beaver, frieze, vicuna, whipcord, cheviot, 
chinchilla, etc., made of both wool and worsted. 
Pique— A heavy cotton cloth having a surface that is corded 
or having a raised lozenge pattern; used for women's and 
children's suits, men's vests, etc. 
Prunella — Lasting cloth. 

Sateen— A close twilled cotton fabric, soft and glossy, used 
for lining. 



FABRICS lor 

Satin — A silk fabric having a high lustre on its face. 

Satinet — A cheap clothing material similar to cassimere, 
made with a cotton warp and a filling of short, inferior, 
shoddy wool which is mixed with enough long wool to 
enable it to be spun and woven in a way to bring that 
filling to the surface of the cloth ; afterwards fulled, sheared, 
and the pattern printed on the face. 

Serge — A lining of cotton or linen warp and a wool or mohair 
filling, woven three-leaf twill. 

Serge — A fine, diagonal, twilled, worsted — both all worsted 
and with a worsted warp and woolen filling; used for 
men's and women's suits. 

Shetlands — Very shaggy overcoatings, named from the Shet- 
land pony, the coat of which it is supposed to imitate in 
appearance. 

Shoddy — Waste thrown off in spinning — shredded rags, and 
bits of cloth manipulated into new cloth. 

Sicilian — A mohair fabric. 

Silesia — A light, close-woven, fine twilled cotton fabric used 
for dress linings, etc. 

Stockinet — A plain, elastic texture made on a knitting frame, 
used for underwear, etc. 

Surah — A twilled silk similar to serge ; first made in Surat, 
India. 

Tricot — A double-twill cloth having both a warp and filling 
effect. 

Tweed — Much like homespun in appearance, both being either 
twilled or plain. They are made from rough worsted yarn 
spun at home. In tweed the yarn is harder twisted, giving 
a more distinct twill. It is generally more compact, less 
rough, and better finished, than homespun. 

Uniform cloth — Cloth suitable for uniforms, usually a stout, 
fulled, woolen cloth, similar to kersey. 

Venetian — A cloth milled and cropped bare in finish. 

Vicuna — A soft twilled cloth similar to cheviot, made of the 
Andes vicuna, hence its name. 

Whipcord — A worsted cloth having a small, prominent twill. 

Yacht cloth— A flannel heavier than ordinary serge or flan- 
nel. 



102 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

Cord — The general term is applied to any fabric in which the 
lines run in the same direction as the selvage. 

Count — In spinning, the number given to any thread or yarn, 
except silk, to indicate its relative fineness, based on the 
number of yards required to weigh one pound. 

Felt — A cloth of wool, hair, fur, etc., not woven, but felted 
together ; used for hats, slippers, boot tops, etc. 

Flock — Finely divided woolen waste used in finishing cheap 
woolens. 

Kemps — Fibers of hair like structure that sometimes come 
in wool, always in goat hair. They do not take the dye. 

Mercerized — A term applied to cotton fabrics of which the 
yarn is chemically treated with a strong solution of caustic 
soda, giving the appearance of silk, more or less permanent ; 
named after Mercer, discoverer of the process. 

Mill ends — Trade term referring to short lengths, seconds, 
damaged pieces, etc., of cloth, embroideries, etc., that ac- 
cumulate in mills and shops and are usually sold at a 
nominal price. 

Narrow cloth — Trade term for fabrics less than 29 inches 
wide. Wider cloths are called broad cloths. 

Oil-boiled — Trade term for colors so treated to insure per- 
manence. 

Oiled silk — The plain silk boiled in oil. Silk boiled in oil 
and dried, becoming translucent and waterproof ; used as a 
perspiration guard. 

Pepper-and-salt — A black and white or grayish mixture, ef- 
fected in weaving. 

Rubber cloth — Usually cotton sheeting or drilling with a 
coating of rubber on one side ; used as protective cloth for 
various purposes. 

Shepherd check — Tiny checks, usually black and white. 

Twilled — Woven in such a manner as to produce lines or 
ribs diagonally or across the surface of the fabric. 

Woolens — Name of faorics of carded wool, usually soft 
woven. 

Worsteds— Fabrics made of combed wool, usually hard 
woven. The combing is the process of arranging the 
fibers of wool, mohair, cotton, linen, into a parallel con- 
dition, preparatory to spinning into a smooth, even and 
regular yarn. The perfected application of the combing 
principle. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY ON TEXTILES 

Historical and Art 
Arts and Crafts Essays ....$1.00 

Morris, Crane, et al. Postage .10 

Colonial Days in Old New England 1.25 

Alice Morse Earle. Postage ,12 

The Primitive Family 12 $ 

Starcke. Postage .12 

Alan Before Metals L75 

Joly. Postage .14 

Origin of Inventions 1.50 

Mason. Postage .16 

Woman"s Share in Primitive Culture 175 

M ason. Postage .16 

Textiles— The Lesser Arts 1.00 

William Morris. Postage .10 

Industrial Evolution of the United States 1.25 

Carroll D. Wright. Postage .16 

Technical Books 

Through a special arrangement with the American School 
of Correspondence we are able to lend or sell to our students 
some of their textile books, which are technical though simple. 
Price 50 cents per part, postage 4c. 

Textile Chemistry and Dyeing. 4 Parts. 

Part I. Textile Fibers. 

Part II. Bleaching. 

Part III. Mordants and Natural Dyes. 

Part IV. Artificial Dyestuffs. 
Cotton Fiber. 

Cotton Spinning. 5 Parts. 
Weaving. 3 Parts. 

103 



104 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

Textile Design. 5 Parts. 

Woolen and Worsted Spinning. 4 Parts. 

Woolen and Worsted Finishing. 4 Parts. 

Textile Fibers $3-50 

Mathews. Postage .46 

Textile Fabrics 90 

Rock. Postage .08 

Dyeing of Textile Fabrics 1.75 

Hummell. Postage .12 

Bleaching and Calico Printing 4.00 

Duerr. Postage .14 

Note. — Books may be ordered through the School or may 
be borrowed by members for one week. Send postage with 
request. 

U. S. Government Publication 
Free of the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. : 
Flax for Seed and Fiber, Farmers' Bulletin No. 27. 
Cotton Seed and Its Products, Farmers' Bulletin No. 36. 
Raising Sheep, Farmers' Bulletin No. 96. 
The Angora Goat, Farmers' Bulletin No. 137. 
Silk Worm Culture, Farmers' Bulletin No. 165. 
Essential Steps in Securing an Early Crop of Cotton, 

Farmers' Bulletin No. 217. 
The Cotton Seed Industry, Reprint No. 239. 
The Hemp Industry in U. S., Reprint No. 254. 
Improvement of Cotton by Seed Selection, Reprint No. 

279. 
The Growing of Long-Staple Upland Cotton, Reprint 

No. 314. 
Principal Commercial Plant Fibers, Reprint No. 321. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY OX TEXTILES 105 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, 
D. C. Send coin or money order,— stamps not accepted: 
Sheep and Wool, Report No. 66, Office of the Secretary. 

Price 5c. 
The Cotton Plant: Its History, Botany, Chemistry, Ene- 
mies, and Uses. Bulletin No. 33. Office of Experi- 
ment Stations. Price 60c. 
Cotton Culture in Egypt. Bulletin No. 42. Price 5c. 

OFFICE OF FIBER INVESTIGATIONS. 

Uncultivated Bast Fibers. Report No. 6. Price 10c. 
Cultivation of Ramie. Report No. 7. Price 10c. 
Culture of Hemp and Jute. Report No. 8. Price 10c. 
Fax Culture for Seed and Fiber. Report No. 10. Price 
IOC 



TEST QUESTIONS 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

PART I 



Read Carefully. Place your name and address on the first 
sheet of the test. Use a light grade of paper and write on 
one side of the sheet only. Leave space between the answers 
for the notes of the instructor. Answer every question fully. 
Read the lesson paper a number of times before attempting 
to answer the questions. 



1. Give a brief outline of the craft of spinning, 

primitive and modern. 

2. Outline the same for weaving. 

3. Describe the hand loom. 

4. Describe the cotton fiber. What kinds are there ? 

5. Who invented the cotton gin and how did this in- 

vention affect the cotton industry? 

6. Give the chief characteristics of wool. Name the 

wool and fur bearing animals. How does 
wool differ from hair? 

7. Trace briefly the prepartion of wool from the 

fleece to the finished product. 

8. Describe flax and outline the method for the 

preparation of the fibers. What is the name 
of the manufactured product of flax? 

9. Name some other bast fibers and their products ? 

10. How do the textile fibers compare in the raw 

state in condition and price? 

11. Give a brief description of silk from the egg to 

the woven cloth. 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

12. (a) What is the chief constituent of the vege- 

table fibers? (b) How does their affinity for 
dyestuffs compare with wool and silk? (c) 
How do the alkalies affect wool ? 

13. Describe the principal weaves and give examples 

of each. 

14. (a) How are cotton and flax bleached? (b) 

What is a mordant? (c) How should mate- 
rial be prepared for dyeing? (d) State what 
you know about old time methods of dyeing. 

15. How are print goods made? Name some print- 

ed fabrics. 

16. Define woolens and worsteds. 

17. Describe the finishing of woolen and worsted 

cloths. 

18. What is noil; shoddy; felt; flocks? 

19. With what dress goods have you had experience, 

and with what results ? 

20. What factors determine the use of fabrics ? 

21. Of what value is the study of textiles? What 

have you gained by the study of this lesson ? 

Note. — After completing the test sign your full name. 




I 





EMBROIDERED INITIALS 
W and L— Sewed on initials ; B— Satin stitch in wreath of feather 
stitches; C— Outline and seed work; D— Chain and French knots; H— 
Cross stitch ; /.—Chain ; //—At the right, and the cross stitch H are 
made over canvas and the canvas threads drawn. 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

PART II 



Sewing 



HAND SEWING 

Good sewing, good pressing, well finished ends 
and corners, lightness of touch which holds the work 
without apparently touching it, thus giving to the fin- 
ished garment a fresh look — all these are important 
considerations. 

The sewing done on wool, silk, and dresses of all Kinda of 
kinds differs from that on underwear and white work. 
Muslin underwear requires frequent washing and iron- 
ing, hence the first essential is durability; close, small 
stitches, all raw edges carefully turned and stitched 
securely. Seams that are to come close to the body 
should lie perfectly flat. A round seam would wear 
out sooner by coming into frequent contact with the 
washboard and iron, besides irritating the skin. In 
dressmaking, unless the stitching is used for orna- 
mental purposes, it should never show on the outside. 

Periods of beautiful and dignified costume have been 
periods of fine needlework — one art leading to and 
helping on the production of the other. 

Stitches may be divided into plain and ornamental. 
The plain stitches are the (i) basting, (2) running, stitches 
(3) the running and back stitch, (4) half back stitch, 
(5) back stitch, (6) overhand or whipping stitch, (7) 
overcast, (8) hemming, and (9) blind or slip stitch. 

107 



Plain 



io8 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Basting 



Tucking 



The ornamental stitches most frequently used are 
(i) outline, (2) chain, (3) cat or herringbone, (4) 
blanket or loop, (5) feather, coral or briar, (6) hem- 
stitching, (7) French knots, (8) button hole, and (9) 
cross stitch. Excepting the cross stitch, these are all 
variations of the plain and button hole stitches. 

The plain stitches may be used for ornamental pur- 
poses. The basting stitch is known as Queen Anne 
darned work. The back stitch, known as "seed work," 
is used in embroidering letters and monograms. The 
overhand stitch is used as an ornamental stitch for 
joining selvages and in hemming. The chain stitch, 
besides being ornamental, makes one of the best darning 
stitches, reproducing the stitch in knitting. The cat 
stitch is also useful in binding down open seams for 
flannel hems, patching, etc. 

(1) Basting proper is used only in the preparation 
of work to hold the stuff and lining, or any two or 
more parts of the work together while it is being 
stitched, none being left in the finished garment. It is 
also used as a guide for sewing, feather stitching, etc. 

The slanting basting stitch or "tacking" is used in 
dressmaking for holding linings. The needle is pointed 
towards the worker. Even basting is used for holding 
several thicknesses of cloth and if the garment is to be 
fitted, the stitches should be placed rather close. Un- 
even basting is used for hems and seams to be machine 
stitched. Several short stitches with one long one are 



STITCHES AND THEIR USES 109 

used to baste crape and wiry fabrics, for this method 
holds them better than stitches of equal length. 

All basting should be fastened at start with a knot 
or knot and back stitch and finished with two or three 
back stitches. The length of thread may be broken or 




BASTING STITCHES 

a— Even; £— Uneven: c— For wiry fabrics 
casting; /—Double or tailor dvercasting. 



d— Tacking ; e— Over- 



cut from the spool, but should always be cut from the 
work. Breaking weakens the fastening and biting off 
soils delicate work with the moisture from the breath, 
to say nothing of the injury to the teeth. Basting for 
large work should usually be done with the goods ly- 
ing flat on the sewing table. 



Fastening 
the Thread 



no TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

Drawing For ordinary work, basting threads should be cut 

Thread? every few inches and drawn out. In velvet, every al- 
ternate stitch should be cut and drawn out on the right 
side with the pile of the goods. In the basting for vel- 
vet where the slanting stitch is used, only one end of 
the stitch touches the line o£ the seam — the rest is on 
the outside of the seam. Silk thread should be used 




POSITION OF THE HANDS IN RUNNING 

to baste velvet and gauze; the thread should be used 
for basting. 
Running ( 2 ) Running is closely related to basting. It is not 

stitch use( j £ or an y seams that have to bear great strain, but 
for joining seams in this material, gathering, tucking, 
making cords, etc. The stitches are usually of equal 
length on both sides. Take one stitch in the seam 
and hold the goods between the thumb and first finger 
of each hand, as shown in the illustration, with the 
back of the thimble on the eye of the needle. Then, 
with as free wrist motion as possible, run or shake the 
needle through the material. The motion of the hand 
should come from the elbow joint. 



STITCHES AND THEIR USES 



in 



Gathering, gauging, casing, etc., are used for draw- 
ing up the fullness of skirts, ruffles, flounces, etc., into 
a given space. The running stitch is used for these. 

For gathering, the cloth is held in the same manner 
as for running. The needle, ordinarily, need not be 
taken out of the work, the stitches being pushed back 
over the eye as they are made; but for running long 
skirt seams in delicate material which would crinkle at 
the line of sewing and roughen the seam, the needle 
should be drawn through and the line of sewing 
smoothed on the thread at each needleful of stitches. 

Never use a double thread for gathering, as it is apt 
to knot, but put in two lines of gathering threads — 
one a full one-eighth of an inch below the other — and 
slip the stitches along the needle as described above. 
This method is a saving of time in the end. When 
the gathering threads are in, remove the needle, place 
a pin vertically close to the last stitch, and wind the 
thread around it a few times in the form of a figure 
eight. Use a coarse needle for stroking. Hold the 
work between the thumb and fingers of the left hand 
with the thumb on the gathering threads. To place 
the gathers, put the point of the needle under the lower 
gathering thread and press the plait or gather under 
the thumb, drawing the needle down, or simply press- 
ing on the needle. Care must be taken not to scratch 
or tear the material. Continue entirely across the 
gathers, putting the needle under each stitch and hold- 
ing the plait firmly between the thumb and finger : turn 



Gathering 



Stroking 



112 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Gauging 



Bunning 

and Back 

Stitch 



Half Back 
Stitch 



Back 

Stitch 



the material and stroke the upper edge of the gathers. 
The gauging stitch is usually longer on the face than 
on the back, draws the material up into distinct plaits, 
making it easy to dispose of the fullness neatly, regu- 
larly and securely by overhanding the top edge of each 
plait to the bottom edge of the band. The right side 
of the skirt and the right side of the belt are placed 
against each other and each gather oversewed to the 
belt. The space into which the material is to be gath- 
ered determines the length of the long stitch. The 
succeeding rows of stitches should be directly under 
those of the first. 

(3) The running and back stitch is made by taking 
a few running stitches, drawing out the needle and 
making a back stitch over the last running stitch to 
strengthen the seam. Care must be taken not to hold 
the side next the worker too full and not to miss the 
under material, but to take the stitches even on both 
sides. 

(4) The half-back stitch is made by taking one 
stitch and placing the needle half way back, then bring- 
ing it out twice the length of the stitch and placing 
the needle half way back each time from where the 
last stitch ended. The appearance on the right side 
will be of regular space as in the. running stitch. 

(5) The back stitch is made by placing the needle 
back to the last stitch, bringing it out once the length 
of the last stitch, then placing the needle back into the 



STITCHES AND THEIR USES 113 

last stitch, and so on, making the stitches follow each 
other without any space between. This is used in all 
places that are to bear great strain as in sewing in 
(6) Overhanding, oversewing, whipping, top sew- 
ing are one and the same— small stitches taken over 




PLAIN STITCHES 
a— Running; b— Running and back; c— Half back; <f-Back stitch. 

edges, to join folded edges or selvages, for sewing 
bands on gathers, sewing lace and insertion, and for 
sewing carpet strips together. The pieces for an over- 
hand seam should be pinned carefully, placing the pins 
at right angles to the edge. The folded edges or sel- 
vages are placed together, the right side of the goods 



Whipping 
Stitch 



H4 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Position in 
Overhanding 



Overcasting 



Outline 
Stitch 



being in. Do not use a knot to begin sewing, but leave 
the knot end of the thread and sew it in with the first 
stitches, carrying the thread on top of the seam,. To 
finish off the seam, overhand back over the last few 
stitches. 

In sewing this seam, the goods should be held be- 
tween the thumb and first finger of the left hand par- 
allel with the chest, not over the end of finger. Point 
the needle towards the left shoulder, thus giving a 
slanting stitch. Care should be taken not to pucker or 
draw the seam. When the seam is finished, it should 
be opened and pressed flat. 

(7) Overcasting is a slanting stitch used to keep 
raw edges from ravelling. This stitch, like oversew- 
ing, may be worked from right to left or from left to 
right. 

The hem stitch and blind or slip stitch will be con- 
sidered under hems. 

ORNAMENTAL STITCHES 

Never use a knot in any embroidery, but start by 
running a few stitches along the line which is to be 
covered. 

( 1 ) The outline stitch is the simplest of all embroid- 
ery stitches. Take a long stitch on the surface, with 
the needle pointing towards the chest in the line to be 
covered, and a short back stitch on the under side of 
the material. The effect of the under or wrong side 
of the material is exactly that of an ordinary back 
stitch. The beauty of this stitch depends upon its 




ORNAMENTAL STITCHES 

t* «T °^ tlin , e ' b ~ Chain; c— Cat; c— Catch; d— Single Feather; e— 
Double Feather ; /-Tnpple Feather ; e - Modified Feather ; h— Double 
t eather with Knots ; i— French Knots and Outline ; j— Herring Bone ; 
k— Fancy Feather ; /-Cat Stitch with French Knots. 



Stitch 



116 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

regularity and in always keeping the thread on the 
same side of the needle. 

Chain (2) The chain stitch when perfectly done should 

look like the stitch made by a single-thread machine. 
This stitch is made by taking the thread toward the 
worker, and before the needle is drawn out of the 
cloth the thread is held by the thumb under the point 
of the needle, as in a buttonhole, making a loop. The 
needle is inserted in the last loop for the next stitch. 
The chain stitch is used in modern embroidery as an 
outline and for darning, but in old embroidery, the 
outline and chain stitches were used for filling as well. 
They are found in Persian, Indian, and Italian Renais- 
sance work. Like the feather stitch, the chain stitch 
is worked towards the worker. 
Cat (3) The cat stitch or herringbone stitch is an alter- 

nate slanting back stitch, the needle being placed first 
to the right and then to the left. This stitch must be 
worked evenly to be effective. It is used to finish flan- 
nel seams and hems, fasten down linings, opened 
seams, and canvas facings and featherbone, in milli- 
nery — in fact, this stitch is one of the most useful in 
sewing. The catch stitch is a variation of the cat 
stitch. Instead of pointing the needle towards the 
chest, the stitch is taken parallel with the chest. It is 
used for about the same purposes as the cat stitch. As 
with the outline stitch, the cat stitch is worked from 
the worker. 

i<oop (4) Blanket or loop stitch, used to ornament the 

edge of blankets, etc., and for finishing the edge of 



Stitch 



Stitch 



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m 



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- 



i 

B 

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-Z=-n<rf W ; ^ * %,.' %' : rf- 



MtftMIt 



tkMMm 







d 




;';': 



HEM STITCHING 
a— Position of Needle; a'— Finished Hem Stitch; b— Ladder Stitch; 
Example of Drawn Work Finished with Loop and Cat Stitches. 



Stitch 



118 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

stockinet or web material, is worked from left to right, 
the edge of the material being held towards the work- 
er. Start with three or four running stitches along 
the edge so the line of stitching will cover them. In- 
sert the needle the desired width from the edge, draw 
it towards you down over the thread, being careful not 
to draw the thread too tightly over the edge of the 
flannel. Fasten the thread by taking running stitches 
under the last blanket stitch on the wrong side. 
•.Feather (5) Single, double, and triple feather or coral stitches 

may be made very ornamental and are used in all 
kinds of sewing and on all materials. They are al- 
ways made towards the worker, the stitches being 
taken alternately to the right and left of the line of 
the design. The thread should always be carried un- 
der the needle as in a buttonhole stitch. The design 
may be varied by taking the stitches diagonally or 
straight, by making them close or separated, etc. 
Hem (6) Hemstitching is used for ornament in making 

hems and tucks. The first step in hemstitching is the 
drawing of threads. Rubbing the cloth along the line 
of threads to be drawn will make the drawing easier if 
the cloth is sized. After the threads are drawn, the 
hem is turned and basted even with the .lowest edge 
of the drawn space. Insert the needle into the edge of 
the hem and material, taking up a cluster of threads 
bring the thread under the needle to form a button- 
hole stitch or make a simple stitch in the edge of the 
fold. The number of threads drawn and the number in 
a cluster must be determined by the coarseness or fine- 



stitch 



ORNAMENTAL STITCHES 



119 



ness of the material, the greater number being drawn 
and taken in fine material. There are several methods 
of hemstitching, but the results are about the same. 




EMBROIDERY STITCHES 
Eyelet Embroidery. Embroidery Button Hole, Flat Satin Stitch. 

(7) French knots are used in connection with other 
stitches for borders enclosed in outline and chain 
stitches, in initials, centers of flowers, and as a filling- 
in stitch. The simplest method is of taking a small 
back stitch, bringing the thread from the eye of the 
needle under the point from right to left and drawing 



French 
Knots 



120 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Embroidery 
Buttonhole 



Cross 
Stitch 



the needle perpendicularly from the cloth. Place the 
needle back of the knot and bring the point out in the 
place where the next knot is to be made. The size of 
the thread will determine the size of the knot. 

(8) The embroidery buttonhole stitch has many pos- 
sibilities and many variations. It is worked from left to 
right instead of from right to left as in a buttonhole. 
The thread from the work is carried under the point 
of the needle from left to right, just the reverse of the 
buttonhole. This stitch is used on flannel and in em- 
broidery of all kinds ; it may be padded or worked flat 
and the stitches may be taken a, distance apart or near 
together. 

(9) The cross stitch is worked on linen, scrim, can- 
vas, or any open-meshed material. If done on a flat, 
smooth surface, it will be necessary to work over can- 
vas, afterwards drawing out the canvas threads. The 
canvas should be well basted on the material, the warp 
threads of the canvas lying perfectly straight on a line 
with the warp threads of the material on which the 
pattern is worked. The stitches should always run the 
same way. If the first ground stitches are made from 
left to right, from bottom towards the top, the cross 
stitches should be made from right to left from the top 
towards the bottom. All the ground stitches run one 
way and the cross stitches in the opposite way. 

This stitch is used for marking table linen, under- 
wear, and embroidery designs. When marking linen 
and unlined work, make the under side very neat by 
running the thread under the stitches already made, 



r— 






i^M 







EMBROIDERY BUTTON HOLE AND BLANKET STITCHES 
Scallops Outlined and Padded. 

twice ; this keeps the edge firm. An even darning or 
basting stitches, chain stitches or outline stitch may be 
used if the space is not too small. The padding may 
be worked in an embroidery hoop to keep it smooth 
and even. Scallops may be padded in the same way 
or worked flat. 

In large figures the stitches are laid closely and ex- 
actly parallel the entire length of the form. They may 
be straight across or at an angle, but the one slant must 
be maintained throughout. In small curved figures, 



Stitch 



ORNAMENTAL STITCHES 121 

instead of taking a long stitch when beginning in an- 
other part of the letter or design. 

(10) The satin stitch is an over and over stitch and satin 
is used on materials of all kinds for marking linen, etc. 

The padding is the first step and should be done in 
long even stitches placed closely and over one another 
in the center. The size and proportions of the figure 
or letters determine the size of the thread. Fine thread 
gives the best results. The outline should be run 



122 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

the stitches may be placed more closely at the inner 
edge and spread slightly at the outer edge. In flat 
work where the leaf or petal is large, two or three 
stitches taken in the cloth, back of the face stitch, 




ARROW HEAD. DOUBLE ARROW HEAD AND CROWS FOOT. 

holds them even and prevents misplacement in launder- 
ing. (All embroidery should be ironed on the wrong 
side.) 

Eyelet embroidery is a simple over and over stitch 
forming a smooth, round edge. Like satin stitch, all 
outlines are run with an even darning stitch, except 
the very small eyelet holes, made with a stiletto. Long 
or oval openings must be cut through the center. 



HEMS 



123 



Shadow embroidery is worked on the wrong side 
of thin material, using the cat stitch. The outline of 
the design only shows on the right side, the body of 
the design being seen dimly through the material. 

The arrow head and crow's foot are ornamental 
fastenings used in fine tailoring as endings for seams, 
tucks, plaits, and at corners. They are made as shown 
in the illustration. 

Mercerized cotton, linen, or any of the embroidery 
silks can be used for these stitches, in all sizes and 
colors, or they can be worked with ordinary thread, 
cotton or linen, sewing silk, or twist. Cotton thread 
wears better than linen. 

HEMS 

A hem is a fold of goods twice folded to protect a 
raw edge. The first turn or fold of the hem is the 
most important. It should be straight and even, folded 
to a thread, for upon it depends the beauty of the hem. 
The hem should always be turned towards the worker 
and creased firmly, but never pleated along the fold. 
First crease the narrow fold, then crease the second 
fold the desired width, marking by a measure and 
baste- not too near the edge. The first fold along the 
woof threads should be at least one-fourth of an inch 
in width, as the woof threads give or stretch more than 
the warp threads ; otherwise it will not lie flat. 

In sewing the hem, the needle should take up only 
the edge to be hemmed down and just enough to hold 
on the cloth . or lining. In white work the stitches 
should be fine, showing as little as possible. 



Shadow 
Embroidery 



Arrow 
Heads 



Folding 
Hems 



Sewing 
Hems 



124 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Bias Hem 



Faced Hem 



All bias and curved edges should have the first fold 
basted. In cloth or silk this first basting thread should 
match the material and not be taken out. 

A facing or faced hem is also used as a protection 
to the edge of a garment. A true bias or fitted facing 
should be used for a facing if the edges of the garment 
are curved. An extension hem is one in which the 
whole width of the hem is used. 




HEMMING 

a— Shows methd of cutting to do away with a clumsey corner. 



HEMS 



125 



Slip-stitching or invisible hemming is done on silk, 
wool, and thick material. The hem is pressed with an 
iron, a stitch as fine as possible is taken on the surface 
of the cloth and the needle slipped under and through 
the first fold, drawing the thread lightly. The needle 
and thread used in this stitch must be very fine. 



Slip-Stitching 




MITERED CORNERS 

Method of Folding and Cutting. 



■ 126 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

Roiled Hem Rolled hem and whipped gathers are made with the 

wrong side of the material next the worker. Make a 
tiny roll of the edge towards the worker, using the 



ROLLED HEM AND WHIPPED GATHERS 

a— Rolled Hem Gathered ; b— Whipped Roll ; c— Double Whipped; 
d — Roll Hemmed ; e — Gathers Sewed to Band. 

left thumb and index finger, rolling an inch at a time 
(and no more) before hemming. Make fine, even 
stitches in the roll and goods. Keep the hem perfectly 
round, firm and not too large. This hem is adapted 



HEMS 



127 



only to fine material and the edge across the warp is 
the more easily rolled. 

To gather, whip the rolled hem without hemming, 
making overcasting stitches towards you, even and not 
too fine. Use coarser thread than for hemming. This 
gathering thread is used to hold down the edge as well 
as for drawing up the gathers and is not to be taken 
out, as is the ordinary gathering thread. It should 
not catch in the roll. Have the thread the length of 
the plain space to which it is to be sewed and regulate 
the gathers as you do the gathering. After the edge 
is rolled, whipped and gathered, it is sewed to the 
garment by the little scallops or raised parts made by 
the whipping. This is used only for making ruffles 
or gathering on very fine hand work. 

The French hem is used for table linen. Fold as 
in an ordinary hem, then fold the hem back on the 
right side and overhand the edge formed, taking fine 
stitches. Press the hem flat from the right side. 

Flannel hems should not be twice folded, for there 
will be a ridge instead of a flat surface after the gar- 
ment has been laundered, owing to the felting proper- 
ties of the wool. Hems on flannel should not be 
stitched by hand or machine, but cat stitched on the 
wrong side and finished on the right side with any 
ornamental stitch. 

Hems in infants' clothing may be turned on the 
right side and made ornamental by feather stitching. 

No selvage should ever be used on a hem. The sel- 
vage is more closely woven and will draw or pucker 
in laundrying. 



Whipped 
Gathers 



French 
Hem 



Flannel 
Hems 



128 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

TUCKS 

Tucks are folds made on thin material for orna- 
ment, to shorten or to provide for lengthening a gar- 
ment. If done by hand, a card measure is preferable 
to a tape measure for marking the space and width 
of the tucks. The folds should be creased to a thread, 
basted and sewed with a running stitch showing but 
little on the face, or stitched on the machine. Fine 
thread should be used. 

SEAMS 

A seam is the line of sewing that joins material; it 
may be plain or ornamental. The most important are 
the overhand, felled, French, slot, lapped, flannel, and 
beaded. 

The overhand seam is described under the overhand 
stitch. 
Felled A fell is a seam hemmed down to the goods to pro- 

tect the raw edge. It is usually made in night dresses, 
drawers, corset covers, etc. Baste with the piece 
farthest from the worker extended one-eighth of an 
inch beyond the other and sewed with the grain of 
the goods, beginning at the widest part of any bias. 
Press the seam with the nail on the right side, turn 
the wide edge down flat to cover the raw edge and 
line of sewing, and hem flat either by hand or ma- 
chine. Care should be taken to keep the seam flat on 
the right as well as on the wrong side. If the felling 
is done with the machine hemmer, the wide edge must 
be on the opposite side. The seam may be basted with 



Seam 




SEAMS 
a—Full ; £— French Screen. 






be 




T3 









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T3 








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SEAMS 131 

both edges even if preferred, cutting off one edge 
after stitching. 

A French seam is sewed twice — first on the right 
side as near the raw edge as possible. Cut off all 
frayed edges, turn the material by folding on the seam 
or line of sewing, so the seam is folded inside and 
the second sewing is on the wrong side below the raw 
edges. This is not a good seam for underwear worn 
next the body, as it leaves a ridge on the wrong side, 
but it is useful for skirts of thin material, etc. It is 
more easily made than a fell. 

Beaded seams used for fine white work have a line 
of beading overhanded between gores, hems, or 
gathers. The hem along the seam should be folded on 
the right side, leaving a perfectly flat surface to iron 
on the wrong side, and finished with an ornamental 
stitch covering the hem. 

The slot seam, used in cloth dresses and jackets, re- 
quires exact basting with silk or very fine thread with 
small, even stitches. If a coarse thread is used, the 
material will be badly marked. After basting, press 
the seam open as if it had been stitched, and baste the 
strap or under strip of the dress material (which has 
been cut perfectly straight and even) over the wrong 
side of the seam, having the center of the seam on 
the center of the strap. Stitch any width desired be- 
'yond the center through the three thicknesses. This 
will hold the seam in position. Now remove the bast- 
ings from the seam and the slot effect is complete. If 



French 
Seam 



Beaded 
Seam 



Slot 
Seams 



SEAMS 



133 



desired, there may be a double row of stitching, an 
extra row on the edge of the fold or plait. These 
seams may be finished at the bottom with arrow heads 
or stitched designs. The lines of machine stitching 



*mm 



1 K i 

Vs. 







FLANNEL SEAMS AND HEMS 
Finished with various Ornamental Stitches. 

should not end without some ornament to appear to 
hold the plait. 

In the lapped seam the edges are folded each within 
the other or one over the other so that both sides are 
alike. If made of heavy material, the raw edges are 



Lapped 
Seam 



PLACKETS 



135 



left unturned ; in muslin or linen the edges are in- 
turned, lapped, basted and the hem stitched on both 
edges or hemmed down on both sides by hand. 

Flannel seams should be stitched, opened and pressed 
flat, either on the right or wrong side of the garment. 
If on the right side, taffeta ribbon should be basted 
over the seam, so that the raw edges of flannel will 
not show, and cat stitched or buttonhole stitched on 
both sides of the ribbon, or any fancy stitch — not too 
long — may be used. This is the Dorothy seam. For 
the seam on the wrong side, the edges should be cat 
stitched with fine thread. Any ornamental stitch may 
be used on the right side of the seam. Always press 
flannel seams and hems before finishing. Flannel 
should never be hem stitched. 

PLACKETS 

A placket is an opening in a garment allowing it to 
be put on. The simplest placket is made by cutting a 
slit and folding a wide hem over a narrow one turned 
on the face of the goods ; this makes a pleat below 
the vent. There should be a double line of stitching 
across the bottom of the hem to strengthen the placket. 

The tape faced placket is stronger and may be used 
in children's drawers, etc., in place of a gusset to 
strengthen the end of the opening. A single piece of 
tape folded bacl< as for a loop is stitched along all 
edges, making an opening without a lap. This offers 
as much resistance as a gusset and is more quickly 
done. 



Flannel 
Seams 



Tape Faced 
Placket 




FACED PLACKET 

A — Wrong side, opened, showing tape ; B— Right side showing on-set 
piece ; aa and bb the same ends of the tape ; 1-2 method of foldiug and 
cutting end of on-set piece. 



PLACKETS 



137 



In a third kind of placket, the opening is faced with Faced 
a continuous piece of tape on both sides and finished 
with a piece of material on the outside. See illustra- 
tion. This makes a strong and simple placket. When 




SKIRT PLACKET WITH LAP 

a tape cannot be used, a hem or facing may be made 
on the under side of the opening and a facing on the 
upper side, over which the on-set piece is stitched. 
The on-set piece and facing may be cut from one piece, 
but the fitting is more troublesome. In figured goods, 
the piece set on should match the pattern exactly, 



i 3 8 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

A simple placket for underwear is made from a 
single strip of the goods put on like an extension 
hem. On drawers it may be turned in at the button- 
hole end, but not stitched down except at the band. 

The placket of a skirt should have an underlap ex- 
tending well below the opening. 

SEWING ON BANDS 

Gathering Divide the top of unhemmed edge of the garment in 

halves and mark with a cross stitch, notch or pin. 
Gather from the placket to the middle of the front 
gore, if a skirt, apron, or dress. Take a new thread 
and gather the remainder. Put in a second gathering 
thread one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch below the 
first. Two* gathering threads are better than one and 
they should be longer than the length of space to be 
gathered. Stroke or lay the gathers above and below 
the threads. Divide the band and pin the middle to 
the center of the garment, placing the right side of 
the band on the wrong side of the garment. Pin in 
the middle and at each end, secure the gathering 
threads by winding around the pin, adjust the gathers, 
and baste between the gathering threads. Stitch just 
below the line of basting. Fold the band over on the 
right side, press, baste over the line of stitching, press 
again, then stitch on the right side after having turned 
in both ends and over-sewed. Turn the top of the 
band over on the right side one-eighth or one-fourth 
of an inch and stitch securely. This upper fold keeps 




FINISHES 
a— Bias Facing ; b— Band on Gathers : c— Corded edge. 



140 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Drawing 
Tapes 



the edge from wearing and stretching and is a stay for 
children's skirts and drawers where button holes are 
used and serves as a finish for the top of the band. 

For flannel, pleating or gathers may be used to put 
fullness into a band. Two rows of gathering threads 




DRAW TAPE FINISH FOR UNDER SKIRT 

should be used and the stitches should not be too fine. 
The band should be made of cotton or at least lined 
with it to avoid clumsiness and prevent shrinking. 
Ruffles are set in hems, etc., in the same manner. 

In finishing the top of an underskirt, many like to 
dispense with the placket and fitted band. This may 
be done by using drawing tapes at the back. The up- 
per edge is faced with a piece of material which should 
be bias in front to accommodate it to the curve, but 
may be straight across the back. Work a button hole 



Bias 



FASTENINGS 141 

at each side of the back, insert a tape through one 
button hole and draw it over an inch beyond the oppo- 
site one and fasten securely by two lines of stitching 
across the tape. A second tape is put through the other 
button hole and fastened in the same way. By pulling 
the tape on each side the fullness may be adjusted. 

All facings around curves, such as arm holes and 
neck, should be a true bias which is cut by holding the Facin ^ 8 
warp threads diagonally across the woof threads. 
These strips for facings, pipings, ruffles, etc., should 
be cut exactly even in width. All bands, ruffles, etc., 
of serge, twilled, or diagonal materials should be cut 
across the twill and not with it, in order to have the 
ruffle hang well. 

FASTENINGS 

The standard fastenings are buttons and button 
holes, hooks and eyes or hand made loops, lacings 
through rings and eyelet holes, loops over buttons, and 
fancy frogs, clasps, studs, ball and socket, "notta- 
hooks," etc. 

Button holes should be carefully measured and 
marked before cutting. They should be a little longer Butto^ 
than the diameter of the button for flat buttons and one 
and one-quarter the diameter for round buttons. Hav- 
ing decided upon the distance apart they are to be 
placed, cut a marker from a piece of cardboard and 
measure off the space, marking with pins, French 
chalk, pencil, or thread. The distance from the edge 
(one-fourth inch), as well as the length of the button 



Holes 



i 4 2 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

hole may also be marked with the card. The scissors 
should be sharp, the hand must be steady, and the cut 
should be made with one firm slash, not with two or 
three jerks. Great care must be taken that each but- 
ton hole is of the same length. The goods should be 
cut to a thread, for it is impossible to make a neat 
buttonhole if it is improperly cut. In cutting a round 
end buttonhole for thick goods, a punch may be used 
for the end, after which the remainder of the button- 
hole is cut directly on a line with the center of the 
circle. 

The same marker may be used to mark the position 
for the buttons. All markings for buttons and button- 
holes, or for hooks and eyes, should be made at one 
time. 
Overcasting After cutting, the button holes are overcast. This 

Buttonnoies & * 

should always be done directly after cutting, espe- 
cially if the goods ravels easily, otherwise it will be 
impossible to work a neat buttonhole. Overcasting 
should be done with very fine thread (No. 150 for 
white goods), split silk for wool and silk. Three 
overcast stitches on each side are sufficient for an ordi- 
nary size buttonhole. 

A very good plan to follow in cutting a buttonhole 
in heavy material or material that frays easily is to 
chalk the position and length of the buttonhole, then 
stitch a row of machine stitching each side of this 
mark, the two rows being a little more than one-eighth 
of an inch apart. This holds all the thicknesses to- 




BUTTONS, BUTTON HOLES, EYELETS, LOOPS 



Buttonholes 



144 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

gether and the buttonhole may then be cut easily. It 
also serves as a guide in working the buttonhole 
stitches. 

The buttonholing is begun at the inner side of the slit. 
Always place the knot on the outside of the garment a 
short distance to the right of the buttonhole, leaving a 
long stitch underneath which can be cut off when the 
buttonhole is finished. A buttonhole should be com- 
pleted with one thread if possible as it is difficult to 
mend the thread securely and neatly. Letter D for 
twist is usually employed. 

Making Insert the needle in the edge of the material and 

when half way through, take the two threads at the 
eye of the needle, bringing them towards you at the 
right and under the point of the needle, and draw the 
thread from you, making the purl or loop stitch di- 
rectly on the edge of the buttonhole. The stitches 
should be about the width of the needle apart to allow 
for the purl. Be careful to complete each stitch with a 
uniform movement so that the line will be perfectly 
straight and not wavy. The stitches are placed more 
closely together in the rounded end of the buttonhole 
where the chief wear comes. 

staying Many workers, particularly tailors, always "stay" or 
"bar" around a buttonhole before working. This may 
be done with several threads of twist or with a cord 
so that the worked edge of the buttonhole will be firm 
and distinct. Tailors usually use a cord as this makes 
the edges heavier. It is always well to stay button- 



FASTENINGS 



145 



holes in heavy material as it strengthens them very 
much and improves their appearance. 

When the buttonhole has been worked all around, 
the end is completed with a bar tack made by taking 
two or three stitches across the end of the buttonhole, 
drawing the edges closer together. This bar is cov- 
ered with buttonhole stitches worked close together. 
The thread is fastened securely on the wrong side. 

After very large buttonholes are finished, their 
straight edges should be closely basted together by an 
over and over stitch and then pressed under a damp 
cloth. Before they are dry, a bodkin or stiletto should 
be pushed vigorously up through each eyelet until that 
opening becomes perfectly round and the stiches on its 
edges are regular and distinct. When the basting is 
removed, the buttonhole will be symmetrical in ap- 
pearance. 

Buttonholes which are to bear a strain are cut in 
the direction of the pull, but sometimes they are cut 
in the opposite direction, as for a shirt waist. Such a 
buttonhole may be completed with a bar tack on each 
end. 

Ordinary buttons should never be sewed down 
tightly, but the thread should be loose so that it may 
be wound around at the end, thus protecting the hold- 
ing threads from wear. The shank prevents the but- 
tonhole from being crowded out of shape. Loose 
sewing can most easily be done by placing a pin or 
needle across the top of the button and sewing over 



Bar Tack 



Large 
Buttonholes 



Sewing 

on Buttons 



146 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

it. If a button is much concaved, the pin may be 
placed underneath. The pin is removed before 
winding. 

In sewing on a four-hole button, the stitches should 
be made symmetrically, either parallel or crossed, but 
not both. If parallel or in a two-holed "button the 
stitches should run in the line of the buttonhole. The 
thread should always be fastened securely at the begin- 
ning and at the end of the work. Place the knot upon 
the outside of the garment where it may be cut off 
when the button is sewed securely. The knot is some- 
times placed under the button. 
cioak In sewing buttons on a cloak or coat an extra strip 
of canvas or silesia over the canvas interlining should 
be placed the entire length of the buttoning for 
strength. This should be applied before the work on 
the garment is too far advanced and if cut sufficiently 
wide, will allow of any slight alteration. The sewing 
should go through the canvas facing and stay, but not 
through the under side or facing of the material. 

In sewing buttons on bodices a tape should be sewed 
over the front basting for a stay. If sufficient material 
has not been allowed for a lap, this should be added, 
as a lap is necessary under the opening of such but- 
tonholes. 

Buttons may be sewed through lining having a small 
button on the wrong side. This method prevents the 
cloth from tearing and makes an ornamental finish as 
well as a substantial one. 



FASTENINGS 147 

Buttons which are supplied with wire 'shanks should 
be sewed down firmly as the shank already provided 
permits the buttons to set up well from the material 
They should be placed in such a position that the wire 
shank will run parallel with the buttonhole and not 
cross it. 

The position for hooks and eyes should be marked Hooki 
before sewing on. The simplest, though least desira- Eye. 
ble, method of sewing on these fastenings is to place 
the eye at the edge of the seam or facing and the hook 
sufficiently far back from the opposite side to give a 
lap. A much preferable method is to baste a bias strip 
of crinoline along the positions to be occupied by the 
hooks and eyes ; this gives strength to the finish. Suf- 
ficient material should be allowed for folding over the 
shanks after the hooks and eyes have been sewed on, 
or they may be covered with silk ribbon, slipping the 
edge under the beak of each hook and then catstitched 
in position. 

The hooks and eyes are sewed securely through the 
crinoline and one thickness, but the stitches should not 
show on the outside. Over and over stitches are taken 
through the small rings in the line of the full and 
again on each bar of the eye and on the shank of the 
hook so that they may be held in position securely. 
In many cases, it is advisable to have an underlap of 
the material. This should be slip-stitched in position 
on the garment after the eyes have been sewed in 
place. 



PATCHING 



149 



Eyelet holes are made with a stiletto which forces 
the threads aside, but does not cut them. The edge 
is finished with over and over stitches placed closely 
together, or with a buttonhole stitch making the purl 
on the outer edge of the stitches. Loops are made by 
buttonholing very closely over several foundation 
threads, making the purl on the. outside edge. The 
needle may be run under the loop eye first if preferred. 

PATCHING 

With the underset patch have the part to be patched 
pressed smooth, baste the patch on the wrong side of 
the garment before cutting out the worn place. (If 
the garment or article to be mended is worn or faded 
and shrunken by laundering, boil the piece in soap, 
soda and water to fade the patch, if of cotton or linen.) 
After basting, cut away all the worn cloth, making a 
square or oblong hole. Cut to a thread. Cut each 
corner, diagonally, one-eighth or one-quarter of an 
inch, turn all four edges of the garment towards the 
wrong side. Begin at the center of one side and hem 
all around the square, taking slanting even stitches, not 
too close together. Remove the basting, trim the 
edges of the patch, press the patch on the wrong side 
and catch stitch to the garment. This shows less on 
the right side and does not make a hard line as if the 
patch were turned back on the edge. If the cloth has 
a pattern or stripe, match it perfectly, having the warp 
threads of both running the same way. Cut both hole 
and patch square. An oval or round patch is un- 



Eyelets 



Underset 
Patch 



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UNDERSET PATCH, RIGHT SIDE, EDGE TURNED AND 
HEMMED TO PATCH 




WRONG SIDE OF PATCH, CAT STITCHED 



15^ 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 




Onset 
Patch 



WRONG SIDE OF PATCH IN TABLE CLOTH— RAW EDGE 
OVERCAST 

workmanlike and does not wear well. Keep the cor- 
ners square and hem down well. The object of press- 
ing is to keep both garment and patch flat and even. 
Flannel patches should be cat-stitched on the right 
side. No flannel edges should ever be inturned. 

The onset patch is used on lined garments and lin- 
ings. The patch should be rectangular and larger than 




LINEN PATCH ; CROSS STITCH INITIAL 



154 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



the worn place. Fold the four edges on the wrong side 
of the patch, place the patch with its wrong side on 
the right side of the garment directly over the center 
of the hole. This will bring the folded edges of the 




RIGHT SIDE OF FLANNEL PATCH 

Edge cat stitched but not turned, back cat stitched in the same way. 

patch between the two pieces of cloth and both right 
sides towards the worker. Do not baste, but pin care- 
fully. After the garment has been folded back until 
there are two folded edges side by side, overhand the 



DARNING 



155 



seam with even slanting stitches. See that the corners 
are well sewed, that warp and woof threads run in the 
same direction, that pattern and stripes match. 

The worn part of the garment under the patch is 
cut away, leaving one-fourth of an inch on the three 
sides. Cut the corners diagonally and turn back the 
edge quarter of an inch, overcast and press. If this 
patch is sewed on a lining, the worn part is not cut 
away. If this patch is used to repair skirts near the 
band, only three sides are oversewed, the upper edge 
should be gathered into the band. A large patch is 
less conspicuous than a small one. 

An onset patch may be used for the seats of trousers 
by shaping the patch like the pieces on the seats of 
bicycle trousers and stitching on the machine. Heavy 
cloth will need no inturned edges. The same precau- 
tions are necessary regarding warp and woof, pattern, 
etc. 

DARNING 

Darning is usually done with a running stitch, with 
or without a piece of net or cloth underset. Thread 
for darning should be as near as possible the size of the 
threads in the garment. Whenever it can be done, a 
warp thread of the garment should be used. No sew- 
ing silk is fine enough to use without separating the 
thread and using one of the strands. Never use the 
thread as it is, as it is too hard twisted. Cotton and 
linen thread of the finest quality, untwisted, should be 
used for darning stockings and underwear. Linen may 



Patch for 
Trowsers 



Thread for 
Darning 



156 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Bias 
Darn 



Darning 

a Three 

Cornered 

Tear 



be darned with linen or mercerized cotton. Cotton is 
preferable. 

A long slender needle with a large eye should be 
used. Darning should never be commenced with a 
knot, nor finished with a back stitch. 

A bias or diagonal cut and a three-cornered tear 
are the most difficult to repair. If the place is badly 
pulled and frayed, a piece of the same material should 
be basted on the wrong side of the material and darned 
in even stitches. Always darning parallel with the 
warp threads and the woof threads. In the diagonal 
tear, as the threads are cut diagonally, to prevent draw- 
ing apart, the darning threads must cross each other. 

The stitches around any darn should not end in a 
stiff even line ; this makes a hard edge which does not 
wear and is unsightly, and uncomfortable if on under- 
wear. 

The three-cornered tear may be darned in two ways. 
Begin by darning diagonally through the center, darn- 
ing back and forth towards the end of the tear until 
one-half has been finished; then begin at the center 
and work in the opposite direction. At the corner, 
the stitches should form the shape of a fan. The 
other method, which is the stronger, is done by darn- 
ing a square in the angle, first with the warp threads, 
then with the woof threads and finishing each end 
across the tear. 

Stocking darning may be done on the right side. 
Begin by picking up the stitches and drawing the 



DARNING 



157 



edges together. This should always be done in any 
kind of stocking darning, but not so close as to make 
a wrinkle. 

In knees and heels of stockings, or knitted under- 




STOCKINET DARNING OVER NET 
Interlaced Stitches and Chain Stitches. 

wear, a piece of net large enough to extend beyond the 
thin part should be basted carefully ; then darn down 
the outer edges of the net and finally the hole or thin 
place. This makes a strong, neat piece of mending. 
If the hole i« large, the net may be covered with the 



158 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

chain stitch, thus imitating the knitting stitch. This 
should be done on the right side of the garment. 

If the hole is to be filled in with the interlaced 
stitches, draw the edges together, darn beyond the thin 
places lengthwise of the knitted garment, making each 
line of stitches longer until the center of the hole is 
reached, then decrease in the same manner, making a 
diamond in shape. Darn across the hole in the same 
way, taking up every alternate stitch as in weaving. 
Leave a tiny loop at the end of each row of darning, 
so that the threads will not draw. 
Machine Darning, satisfactory for some purposes, may be 

done quickly on a double thread sewing machine. It 
is best done in an embroidery ring, first drawing the 
edges together. Loosen the tension on the presser 
foot, use fine thread with light tension. Sew back and 
forth, first along the warp threads and then at right 
angles along the woof threads. The machine will be 
sewing backwards part of the time, but if the pressure 
is light, there will be no difficulty. For large holes, 
paper may be placed underneath. 

MITERING EMBROIDERY OR LACE 

The mitering of lace or embroidery is often neces- 
sary in making collars and in finishing corners. Be- 
fore applying, plan carefully and select a scallop or 
portion of the embroidery which will produce the best 
effects when finished. This can be accomplished by 
folding the embroidery over at various portions of the 




MITERING AND JOINING EMBROIDERY 

,4— Finished with a stitched seam ; B— Edge hemmed down and cloth cut 
away underneath ; C— Joined with lapped seam. 



160 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

pattern until a suitable point is found. Fold over at 
right angles and mark along the line to be mitered. 
The triangle may now be cut, but an extra width must 
always be allowed for the seam, as there is frequently 
a slight unevenness and one side may have to be held 
a little full or stretched to make a perfect match. The 
mitered seam is over-sewed. 

After the corner is properly made, cut away the 
cloth of the embroidery, allowing only enough for an 
inturned seam on the edge. This seam may be stitched 
on the machine on both edges, or oversewed to the 
goods, or the embroidery may be securely sewed on 
the plain part, after which, the underlying cloth may 
be cut away. This will make an almost perfect corner. 

Lace may be matched and mitered in a similar way. 

MATCHING AND JOINING LACE 

In joining lace, avoid a seam if possible. Select por- 
tions of the design that will match, placing one pat- 
tern of the same design over the other. Cut away 
a portion of the thick part of the pattern underneath 
and hem the edges and inner part of the design down 
with fine thread. 

Smyrna or Torchon lace is more difficult to hem or 
join when very open or very fine. A small, felled 
seam is better than lapping and trying to match the 
pattern. 

Embroidery can be matched in the same way. Never 
let two heavy designs lap over each other. The one 



MATCHING AND MITERING 



161 




INSERTION WITH MITRED CORNER, TAPED AND FACED; 
EMBROIDERY ROLLED WHIPPED AND GATHERED 

on the wrong side should be cut out and the edge 
sewed securely to the upper part of the design. 

The plain material above the embroidery can be 
joined by a lapped seam, turning first the right side 
and then the wrong side and hemming on both sides 
of the seam. 



Types of 
Machines 



Care of the 
Machine 



MACHINE SEWING 

The sewing machine has taken away much of the 
drudgery of home sewing, but its use does not lessen 
the need of skill in hand work. No machine can finish 
ends of belts, collars, sew on trimming, fastenings, and 
like work and the finish has much to do with the gen- 
eral appearance of a garment. 

All the prominent makes of sewing machines were 
invented in the decade following Howe's patent in 
1846. The two chief types of machines are the lock 
stitch, using double thread, and the chain or loop stitch, 
using a single thread. Whatever the make of machine 
it should be run in accordance with the rules accom- 
panying it. The worker should familiarize herself 
with the directions for setting and threading the needle, 
winding the bobbin, regulating the tension and the 
stitch and all other technicalities of the particular ma- 
chine she has to operate. Agencies of the various 
machines usually have skilled workers to give instruc- 
tion to beginners. While it is not always an economy 
of time to use the attachments for hemming, tucking, 
etc., unless much work is to be done, it is worth 
while to know how to use them if desired. As much 
or more skill is required for neat machine work as for 
hand sewing. Results will not be satisfactory without 
careful basting. 

The machine should be kept well oiled, free from 
dust and gum and it should be run evenly. In case 
it becomes "gummed" a drop of kerosene on the parts 

162 



MACHINE SEWING 163 

that have been oiled will cut the gum. Remove the 
shuttle and run the machine rapidly for a moment, then 
wipe off all the kerosene and oil the machine carefully 
with good machine oil — only the best should be used. 
A machine should always be wiped thoroughly before 
any work is placed upon it. 

As in hand sewing, needles and thread should be Needles 
selected with care. A blunt or bent needle should Thread 
never be used, it should have a fine sharp point and 
the eye should be sufficiently large to carry the thread 
easily. The needle and thread should be suitable for 
the material to be sewed. Glazed thread should never 
be used in a machine. The best quality of thread and 
silk should be purchased but only enough for imme- 
diate use, as it loses strength with age, chiefly because 
of the action of the dyes and chemicals. Even white 
thread may become "tender" from the chemicals used, 
in bleaching it. Sewing silk and cotton should be kept 
in a closed box to exclude the light and air. 

For sewing cotton or linen the best cotton thread 
should be used. Woolen, silk, and velvet should be 
stitched with the best machine silk. The thread should 
match the material in color. Cotton thread fades or 
loses its brightness when exposed to the light, there- 
fore for stitching that will show it is always better to 
use silk. The thread on the bobbin should be wound 
evenly and carefully to insure an even stitch and the 
tension of both threads should be equal, otherwise the 
Stitch will not be perfect. As a lock stitch machine 



1 64 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Fastening 
Threads 



Bias Side 
Next Feed 



requires two threads while in hand sewing only one is 
used, the two need not be as coarse as the single 
thread. For ordinary home sewing, underwear, thin 
gowns and the like, No. 70 to No. 100 will be found 
satisfactory Finer thread may be used when the ma- 
terials demand it, but no coarser than No. 50 should 
be used in the machine and this only with the coarsest 
material. 

Much time may be saved in fastening the threads 
at the ends of tucks, hems on sheets, towels, etc., by 
careful manipulation of the machine. For example, on 
sheets begin to stitch along the hem at the selvage, or 
if the end of the hem is over-sewed, begin an inch 
from the edge and stitch the hem towards the selvage, 
then lift the presser-foot so as to turn the work, and 
retrace the bit of stitching, continuing across the whole 
hem. When the end is reached, release the presser- 
foot, turn the work, and stitch back for an inch or 
more in the same line, as was done at the beginning of 
the hem. By this method the threads are fastened 
much more easily and quickly than by drawing them 
through on to the wrong side and tying or sewing 
them by hand and, of course, it is more satisfactory 
than the "shop" way of cutting them off short. Tucks 
or seams may be fastened in the same way. If fine 
thread is used the double stitching at the ends is hardly 
noticeable. 

When stitching a seam having one bias and one 
straight side, let the bias side come next to the feed. 



Gathers 



MACHINE SEWING 165 

that is, on the underside. This is especially impor- 
tant in thin materials. If the material is very sheer, 
strips of soft paper — newspaper will answer for or- 
dinary purposes — should be sewed in the seam. This 
will insure a seam free from puckers and when fin- 
ished the paper can be pulled away easily. 

In sewing gathers on a band they should also come stitching 
next the "feed," as it takes up the side next to it a 
little faster than the upper side. When the bias, or 
cross-way side of the seam, or gathers are next to 
the "feed" the material runs along smoothly, but if the 
straight side is towards it there is apt to be a pucker. 

Stitching can be done more easily on the right of 
the presser foot with the bulk of the material lying to 
the left. The tendency of the "feed" or teeth is to 
crowd the work off the edge as well as forward and 
the stitching may be guided better on the right side 

All straight seams should be stretched to the full 
extent of their straight edge in stitching, as the work 
passes under the presser foot . 

When a large amount of machine sewing is to be 
done — such as household linen, sheets, pillow cases 
and underwear — it is a good plan to do all the basting 
and hand work first and keep the machine stitching 
for a rainy or a damp day, as the thread is then less 
apt to break. A current of air or a breeze from an 
open window on a dry day will often cause the 
thread to snap. For the same reason the machine 
should never stand near the fire or radiator. 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

PART II 



Read Carefully. This test consists of two parts, — an- 
swers to the questions and the making of models. Both 
should be sent to the School for inspection and correction. 
All models should be made about 4 by 6 inches so that 
they may be put into the envelope provided without being 
folded. Two series of models are given; either or both 
may be made. 



1. What instruction have you ever had in sewing? 

(b) Has the subject any educational value? 

2. What are the common basting stitches, and for 

what are they used? 

3. Can you make the running stitch properly? How 

is it done? 

4. For what purpose may the cat stitch be used? 

5. Hems and Seams : Describe the different kinds 

for thick and thin materials, including those 
for flannel and state when they should be used. 

6. Describe three kinds of plackets. 

7. How are gathers made, and how sewed into a 

band? 

8. What can you say of fastenings? 

9. With what sewing machine are you most famil- 

iar, and what are its peculiarities? 
10. What stitches or methods described in this les- 
son are new to you? 
Note: After completing the answers, sign your full 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

MODELS, FIRST SERIES 

I. Stitches. On a piece of cotton about 4 by 6 
inches, make with colored thread (1) a line 
of even basting stitches, (2) uneven basting 
stitches, (3) tacking, (4) running, (5) back 
stitch, (6) running and back, (7) half back. 

With embroidery silk make a row each of (1) 
cat stitch, (2) single feather, (3) double 
feather, (4) chain, (5) rows of French knots 
with border of outline stitch. 

Make your initial in one corner, using any 
stitch preferred. 

Overcast one long edge of the model, double 
overcast the opposite side, finish one end with 
plain loop or blanket stitch, and the other end 
with some fancy loop stitch. Fasten all 
threads as described in the text. 

II. Seams and Hems, (a) Join two pieces of fine 

cotton with a French seam at the long edge, 
about 2 by 5^ inches, with warp running 
lengthwise, (b) Cut a piece of muslin on a 
true bias and attach the bias edge to a with a 
felled seam, (c) Trim the model and hem all 
sides so^ that the finished model may measure 
4 by 6 inches. 

III. Darning and Patching, (a) In gingham or 

figures cotton, make an underset patch of a 
square hole, matching the goods, (b) Darn 
a three-cornered tear. 

IV. Fastenings. The proper distance from the 

edge of folded goods make (a) button hole, 
one end rounded and the other finished with 
a bar tack, (b) Under it make a partly fin- 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

ished, barred buttonhole. (c) Below this 
make an eyelet hole, (d) below the eyelet hole 
a loop, and sew on an eye. 
On a second piece of folded goods opposite the 
first buttonhole, (a) sew a four-hole button, 
corresponding in size to the buttonhole, (b) 
Opposite the second buttonhole sew on a two- 
hole button; (c) below, sew on two hooks cor- 
responding in position to the loop and eye. 
Make the two parts of the model so that the 
corresponding fastenings will join. 
V. Apron. Using fine muslin, make a doll's apron, 
gathering into band at top. Above hem at 
the bottom, make two clusters of tucks of 
three each. 

MODELS,* SECOND SERIES, FOR EXPERIENCED WORKERS 

I. Rolled Hem ; Hem Stitching. Make a doll's 

apron of fine muslin, attach top to band with 
rolled, whipped gathers. Make two clusters 
of tucks of three each at the bottom and hem 
stitch the bottom hem. 

II. Sleeve Placket. Make a taped sleeve placket 

as shown in the illustration 

III. Make a Slot Seam, using dress goods and 

finish with an arrow head, (b) Make- a large 
cloak buttonhole. 

IV. Mitre Embroidery and finish as shown in the 

illustration, (b) Match and join the same. 

V. Embroidery: Make something small and use- 

ful — a doily, stock, collar — illustrating some 
style of embroidery, or make a model of the 
first series which will afTord you the most new 
experience. 




MAKING MEXICAN DRAWN-WORK 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

PART III 



DRESSMAKING 

The greatest obstacle to home sewing of any kind 
is the failure to provide suitable materials with which 
to do the work. To do good work — to make attractive 
gowns — the simple tools which the work requires must 
be provided. First, there should be needles and pins 
of the best quality and make. They should be fine 
and well pointed. The needle should be suitable to the 
material to be sewn and sufficiently large to carry the 
thread easily. A blunt or bent needle should never 
be used. Long or milliner's needles are preferred by 
many for basting. 

A good supply of thread should be kept on hand — 
not too great a quantity, but the stock should be added 
to as it is used. There should be both silk and col- 
ored cotton, also twist for button holes, loops and 
arrow heads and knitting silk to sew on and finish 
feather bone. 

Two pairs of scissors are required — one with long, 
sharp blades, and a pair of medium sizes for snipping 
machine stitches. 

Among the other necessary articles are a tape meas- 
ure, cake of wax, pencils or tailor's chalk, tracing 
wheel, emery, lap board. 



Good 
Tools 
Necessary 



Thread 



Scissors 



i68 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Cutting 
Table 



Canvas, scrim, or any like material should be kept 
in the sewing room, as these are invaluable for fac- 
ings, linings of collars, cuffs, etc. Hooks, eyes, but- 
tons, tape, linings, featherbone and shields are requis- 
ites not to be forgotten. 
Tapes Tape is constantly needed. Linen tape is thinner 
and makes a neater finish for some purposes than cot- 
ton tape. The bias tape or binding now kept by the 
larger stores is very useful for binding curved edges 
and for other purposes. 

If a regular cutting table is not available, the din- 
ing room table should be used. Skirts, bodices, ruf- 
fles, and bias bands should be cut on firm, even, and 
making of any kind too much stress cannot be laid 
large surfaces. If cut upon the floor or bed and 
pressed on a coarse crash towel, the garment will 
have the undesirable home-made look. 

A good pressing board should be provided and if 
possible a sleeve board. In the process of garment 
upon constant and careful pressing. 

The ironing board should have for its outside cover 
a finely woven, perfectly smooth cloth, tightly 
stretched, free from wrinkles, and securely tacked. 

Where there is gas, a small, portable stove should 
be kept near the sewing table with a medium-sized flat 
iron. Lacking gas, one of the single burner oil stoves 
may be used. An electric flat iron is especially con- 
venient. 
Bust Form A bust form is a great convenience in fitting and 



Pressing 
Board 





PADDED BUST FORM 

l,From Dressmaking Up-to-Date, Butterick Co. ) 



i 7 o TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

almost a necessity for one who does much home dress- 
ing. These may be purchased at department stores. 
Some kinds are adjustable, but it is always best to 
make a carefully fitted lining for it and pad out to the 
correct shape and size. The pattern should be one 
that extends well over the hips and heavy unbleached 
muslin may be used. After padding firmly, the front 
opening should be oversewed. Special care should be 
taken with shoulders and neck and the neck band 
should be carefully adjusted on the figure. 

A padded sleeve lining is also very useful in mak- 
ing sleeves. 

Dressmaking never should be begun until each 
needed article required for the work has been pur- 
chased. The sewing room should be in order; the 
machine well oiled and wiped before any work is un- 
dertaken. 
Skin -^ tne Wished garment is to be perfect, careful at- 
TaXe tention must be given to every detail of the cutting 
and making up. To possess mechanical skill alone is 
not sufficient. A successful garment depends not only 
upon the dexterity with which the worker manipulates 
the actual tools of her craft, but upon all her faculties 
and her power of applying them. She must have a 
comprehension of the laws of beauty in dress, con- 
struction, ornament, color, selection, economy. The 
artisan knows the technical part only, and looks upon 
each dress — each piece of lace and velvet — as so much 
material to be snipped and cut and sewed, copying 
from the fashion plate, making gown after gown 
alike. The artist, on the other hand, makes the gown 



PATTERNS 171 

to suit the individual wearer, considering each dress 
no matter how simple — and the simpler, the more art- 
istic — as a creation designed to suit the woman for 
whom it was planned. 

People who study economy from principle will 
never adopt anything extreme in weave, or color, or 
make. These extreme fashions are never lasting; 
they are too conspicuous and are vulgarized by bad 
copies, while a thing which is known to be good and 
beautiful once will remain so for all time. Those who 
are beginners in the art of dressmaking should select 
plain designs until skill is acquired. The making up 
and finishing of new fabrics and new or untried meth- 
ods are problems that often dismay even the most 
experienced dressmaker. 

PATTERNS 

The makers of good and reliable patterns are many, selection 
Always buy patterns of firms that make proportion of PatterDS 
of figure as well as fashion a study. These patterns 
state length of skirt, waist and hip measure and quan- 
tity of material required in all widths. Buy a skirt 
pattern with correct hip size, as it is much more diffi- 
cult to change this than to alter the dimensions of 
a waist. Adjust the pattern to the figure for which 
the garment is to be cut and see that it is right in all 
of its proportions. Always follow the notches indicated 
in the seams of the pattern, and thus avoid putting 
wrong pieces together. Be sure that the pattern is 



i 7 2 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

placed correctly upon the material with the straight 
grain or warp threads of the goods running directly 
on a line with the straight perforations indicated in 
the pattern. Lay the entire pattern upon the cloth. 
This gives an idea just where every piece is to come 
out. 
What the All patterns give one-half of the bodice and the 
Pa GitM skirt, from center of back to center of front. The 
plain waist pattern consists of back, curved side piece, 
under arm piece (sometimes these two pieces are in 
one) front, upper and under sleeve, collar or neck 
band. Some patterns allow for seams — others do not. 
Skirt patterns give only one-half of the front gore. 
The seam edges of front gore are marked by one 
notch near the waist line. The front or straight edge 
of the first side gore has one notch, and two on the 
back edge of side gore. All the gores may be dis- 
tinguished from the edges of the back gores by the 
lesser number of notches. This is true of all skirt pat- 
terns. If the patterns are studied carefully, all skirt 
cutting becomes very easy. 

The object of goring a garment is to take out un- 
necessary fullness at the top ; reducing the weight, 
making the garment less clumsy, and giving a nicety 
of finish which could not be done in heavy material 
if all the goods were left to fit into a band. Skirts 
may be lined or unlined, gored or full. 

SEVEN-GORED SKIRT 

The style may vary with the fashion, but a well- 
fitting skirt should hang even around the bottom edge, 



SKIRT MAKING 173 

should fit easily around the hips without being strained 
or defining the figure too closely, or "ride up" when 
sitting, should flare slightly from hips to the bottom 
of the skirt, should not fall in between the feet, the 
back should fall well behind the figure. For heavy 
goods, as little material as possible consistent with the 
prevailing style should be used. 

PLAN OF SKIRT MAKING 

Shortening or lengthening of pattern if neces- 
sary. 

Placing of goods. 

Pinning on of pattern so there is no waste. 

Cutting. 

Removing and care of patterns. 

Pinning, basting, or tacking of skirt to lining. 

Joining of seams, fitting. 

Stitching. 

Pressing. 

Finishing of seams and placket hole. 

Making and putting on waist-band. 

Marking length and finishing the bottom. 

Fastenings, loops, braids, hooks and eyes. 
To lengthen or shorten a skirt pattern, measure the Lengthening 
figure and regulate the length of the patterns by mak- £ a t S te?ns ening 
ing a fold in each gore two-thirds of the way from 
the top of the pattern if too long. This is for the 
simplest skirt pattern. The shape of the skirt may re- 
quire two folds, one two-thirds from the top and a 
small fold near the bottom to preserve the outline. 
If too short pin the pattern on the material, cut 



174 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Testing 1 
Patterns 



Cloth 

Patterns 



around the top of gore and on each side two-thirds of 
the distance from the top of gore. Unpin and draw 
the pattern down to the bottom and cut the required 
length. Except for wash material, do not turn a gored 
skirt up at the bottom to form a wide hem, as the full- 
ness made by turning is hard to dispose of neatly and 
the right curve at the bottom of the skirt may be lost. 

Another way to lengthen the pattern is to cut it in 
two, two-thirds the distance from the top. See that all 
pleats or tucks are exactly the same width and at the 
exact distance from the top or bottom of the gore, 
also that all seams are of the right length. A shorter 
skirt must be proportionately narrower. 

It is well to test the skirt and waist patterns by 
using inexpensive materials, such as calico, gingham, 
or cheap lining. Cut, baste, fit, and make this as care- 
fully as if it were the best cloth or silk. If the skirt 
and waist are satisfactory, the pattern will do duty 
for several seasons. The plain waist pattern is the 
foundation for any waist and many changes can be 
made easily with a well-fitting skirt and plain waist 
pattern as a basis. 

As paper patterns soon wear out, after a waist and 
skirt have been perfectly fitted, it is a good plan to 
cut an exact pattern of cambric, both skirt and waist, 
tracing seams and notching the parts. This will en- 
able the home dressmaker to cut and make all ordi- 
nary dresses with little trouble and with but one try- 
ing on. It is always well to try on once, as materials 
differ in texture and a slight change may be neces- 
sary. 




PLACING PATTERNS 

At the left, on plain or symmetrical designs ; at the right, on figured 
or napped goods, a— Half of front gore ; £— Second gore ; c— Third gore; 
d— Back gore; e— Front waist; /—Under arm piece; g— Side back; 
h— Back ; i— Outside sleeve ; j— Under sleeve ; c' d'— Piecing of gores c, d. 



176 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Placing 
Patterns 



Pinning 
Patterns 



Cutting 
Out 



If the material is plain, has no nap, or if the de- 
sign is perfectly symmetrical, the gores may be al- 
ternated, the top of one gore coming opposite the bot- 
tom of the next. The half pattern of the front gore 
is always laid on a lengthwise fold of the goods. If 
the goods is wide, the other gores may be cut double 
with the cloth folded lengthwise. With narrow goods, 
the cloth may be folded end to end after the middle 
gore has been cut out, and the other gores cut double. 
Care should be taken that the line of holes in the 
middle of the gores runs exactly in a line with the 
warp of the material, i. e., parallel to the selvage. 

If the goods has a figure, the design should run up- 
wards. Any nap should run downward, except with 
velvet or velveteen, in which it should run upwards. 
With such goods, the gores if cut double must be 
placed on a lengthwise fold, with the lengths running 
the same way. If the goods is narrow, the gores may 
have to be cut single, reversing the pattern (turning 
it over) so that both pieces may not be for the same 
side. 

Pin the middle of the pattern to the goods and 
smooth towards each end, pinning securely at top and 
bottom. Avoid too many pins and pin carefully, oth- 
erwise the pattern will be displaced. 

After the pattern is securely pinned, cut out the 
gores, using long, sharp shears. Care should be taken 
not to lift the material from the table, not to have 
jagged, uneven edges, as both time and material will 



SKIRT MAKING 



177 



be wasted in straightening them. Open the shears 
as wide as possible, taking a long sweep of the mate- 
rial, and do not allow the points of the shears to come 
together. Mark all notches with basting thread, tailor's 
chalk, or notch the goods if it does not ravel. 

The back gores should be cut in the same way. They 
are usually wider than the front gores and may require 
piecing, which should be done along the warp threads. 

Now remove the pattern, pin carefully all pieces to- 
gether and fold as little as possible. The trinity — put, 
baste, press — should be written in large letters in every 
sewing room, for much of the beauty of the gown de- 
pends upon these three. 

To join the skirt, pin the side gores to the front 
gores, beginning at the top, with pins running across 
the seams, then begin at the top of the skirt and baste 
downward, allowing all unevenness to come out at the 
bottom. Baste straight and evenly, taking one stitch 
at a time. Several stitches should never be taken at 
once on thick or piled goods, as the side next to the 
sewer is apt to be fuller in that case. When all seams 
are basted, try on the skirt and make all changes neces- 
sary before stitching. Both the outside skirt and any 
under or ''drop" skirt should be fitted as carefully as 
a waist. 

If the skirt is to be lined the lining should be made 
and fitted first, then ripped and the outside carefully 
basted on the lining, being well stretched over the lin- 
ing, care being taken to have the warp of the outside 



Joining 
the Skirt 



Lined 
Skirt 



178 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Stitching 
Skirts 



Finishing 
Seams 



Stiffening 



Placket 



and the lining run the same way. This will prevent the 
lining from drawing the goods. 

A stitch of medium length should be used on all 
seams whether white goods or cloth. If the stitch is 
too long, the seam will "gap" and will show the thread ; 
if too short, the seam is apt to draw. The line of stitch- 
ing must be absolutely parallel inside or outside of the 
basting or the curve will be ruined. Use silk or the 
best cotton for stitching skirts and be sure that the 
needle is not too coarse. 

After stitching, all bastings along the seams should 
be taken out by cutting the thread in several places. 
Never pull a basting the length of the skirt. The seams 
should be opened and pressed according to directions. 
The seams may be finished with a taffeta binding, over- 
cast, stitched flat or notched, as the case demands. 

If stiffening is used at the bottom of a lined skirt it 
should be fitted to each lining gore separately and se- 
curely stitched. A light weight canvas should be 
stitched to a heavy cloth skirt at the bottom, if sev- 
eral rows of stitching or braid are to finish the bottom 
of the skirt. 

The placket may be finished before the two back 
gores are pinned to the front, if preferred. If done be- 
fore joining the gores the placket can be pressed bet- 
ter and the front is not so liable to be crushed. On the 
left side of the skirt sew an underlap of sufficient length 
to extend well below the end of the opening. Face the 
rigth side of the opening with a piece of the goods, 



SKIRT MAKING 



179 



or tape not too wide, hem or cat-stitch to the skirt, and 
finish with hooks and eyes, loops, or any fastening that 
will secure the placket. 

The. skirt is now ready for the band, which should 
be narrow. Always cut parallel with the selvage and 
the length of the underlap longer than the waist meas- 
ure, allowing for turning at the ends. The band should 
never be thick and clumsy and not too tight. Try on 
the skirt and fit the band carefully, marking the seam 
with pins, a line of basting, or chalk. Hold the skirt 
easy on the band and baste with small stitches, then 
stitch on the machine. If the skirt is too tight around 
the hips the plaits will fall apart at the back. If the 
skirt is stretched on the band the seams will not fall 
in a straight line. After the band is securely stitched 
and finished with hooks and eyes adjust the length by 
turning under at the bottom and pinning, after which 
baste all around and try on again to make sure that 
the length is correct. 

A gored outside garment should be finished with a 
true bias or a fitted facing, carefully stitched on. It 
is possible to finish the bottom of a simple house dress 
or thin skirt with a hem if the fullness made by turn- 
ing is disposed of in gathers or fine pleats. A bias fac- 
ing, however, is always preferable. If of heavy or lined 
goods the finish should be velveteen or braid the same 
color as the skirt. These bindings come in different 
widths and grades. Braids should always be shrunken 
by wetting and drying thoroughly; one wetting is 



Putting 
on Band 



Finishing: 
the Bottom 



180 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

no enough. Velveteen should be applied loosely, so 
as not to shrink or draw after it becomes damp on the 
skirt. 
Applying The right side of the velveteen should be carefully 
V Binding basted with small, even stitches to the edge of the 
facing. It may be hemmed to the facing or machine 
stitched just inside the basting, which need not be 
removed. It is then turned, allowing a very narrow 
portion to show below the edge, and basted with close 
stitches, pressed, hemmed down to the facing by hand, 
or cat stitched without turning the edge. Be careful 
not to let the stitches show on the right side, nor let 
the binding twist or pucker. The joining of the vel- 
veteen should be near the seam in the back. 

Another method is to cut off the bottom edge of 
the skirt a quarter of an inch from the turning line; 
apply the wrong side of the velveteen to the right side 
of the skirt, baste carefully close to the edge and stitch 
on the machine through velveteen, cloth, and lining 
(or facing) just inside the basting which is left in. 
The bottom of the raw edge is turned up, basted 
close to the edge allowing the velveteen to show a 
very little. The upper edge of the velveteen is secured 
as before by turning and hemming or catstitched with- 
out turning. The illustration shows this method of 
applying the velveteen which is first stitched to the 
lining and turned with the edge." This make a firm, 
rather stiff finish. 
Braid Braid is stitched on to the bottom of a skirt with 



SKIRT MAKING 181 

a narrow edge showing, or it may be applied like the 
velveteen, with a doubled edge at the bottom. The 
doubled edge will wear better. 

Skirts that are to be washed and therefore which Finish 
are very likely to shrink must be finished at the bot- skirts Sh 
torn with a wide hem — at least six inches — the full- 
ness made by turning being disposed of carefully in 
pleats or gathers. 




APPLYING VELVETEEN BINDING 



1 82 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



If desired, the bias seam down the back of the skirt 
may have a narrow woven tape or selvage of thin goods 
stitched in with the seam. This strengthens the seam 
and prevents dragging. The skirt when finished should 
always be longer in front than in the back. 

All cloth dresses demand every detail of finish to 
make them complete and able to stand hard usage, but 
simple house dresses and thin summer dresses do not 
require such careful finish. 



Trace 
Seams 



Baste 
Lavishly 



Altering 

Waist 

Patterns 



SHIRT WAISTS. 

In planning a waist the same rules should be ob- 
served in placing patterns, etc., as described for skirts, 
except that the lines and seams should be traced with 
a tracing wheel or marked carefully. In making a 
waist of any kind care must be taken to cut all the 
pieces the proper way of the material. 

The difficulty of putting garments together after 
they have been cut properly is due to undue haste, lack 
of care in details and insufficient pressing. The ap- 
parently simple act of basting is really of primal im- 
portance, particularly in the making of a waist. One 
need never be afraid of basting too much or too care- 
fully. Economize cloth and time in cutting, but use 
basting lavishly. 

The waist pattern may be made shorter by laying 
folds across both back and front. The fold across the 
back should be two inches above the waist line and 
across the front two inches below the arm's eye (in the 
back). Securely pin or baste the folds in the pattern. 



SHIRT WAISTS 183 

If the pattern is of nearly the correct size it may be 
only necessary to make the waist shorter and smaller. 
The neck and arm's eye will seldom need altering. 
The sleeves may be shortened in the same way by lay- 
ing folds in the pattern, above and below the elbow. 

PLAN FOR MAKING A SHIRT WAIST 

After the waist is cut, remove and care for the 
patterns. 

Make the sleeves, cuffs and collar band first. 

Make box plait on right or left side as liked by 
the wearer and hem on the other side or face. 

Baste shoulders and under-arm seams. 

Try on the waist, making all changes necessary 
by enlarging or taking up seams. 

Pin for neck band and mark for seams. 

Fit sleeves and mark places for seams. 

Arrange fullness and place tape at back of waist 
line. 
If the pattern is for a plain, one-seam sleeve with the Making 
cuff opening at the end of the seam, hem each side sleeve 
of the opening one or two inches from the bottom, 
gather the bottom, between the notches, lay the gath- 
ers, baste the right side of the sleeve band or cuff to 
the wrong side of the sleeve, stitch and press, fold in 
a hem on all edges of the cuff, fold the cuff over on 
the wrong side of the sleeve, baste, oversew the ends 
of the cuff, press and stitch the cuff close to all edges. 
After thus attaching the cuff, baste and stitch the long 
seam of the sleeve and gather at the top between 
notches. The cuff is usually cut in the direction of 
the warp of the goods. 



184 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



The sleeve described is the simplest that can be made. 
If the sleeve is to open at the back and finished with 
a tape, with a placket, strap or fancy lap, the seam in 
the sleeve is stitched first and the cuff afterward ad- 
justed. 




PLAIN SLEEVE WITH CUFF, SHOWING GENERAL METHODS OF 
SEWING ON BANDS 

The box plait is made if desired and the under arm 
and shoulder seams basted when the shirt waist is 
ready to try on. Make any change in the seams neces- 
sary. The neck band is put on in the same way as the 
cuffs, sleeves sewed in, fullness arranged at the back 
and a tape placed at the waist line. Three hooks or 
other fastenings should always be placed at the back 
to attach to corresponding fastenings in the skirt band. 
The bottom edge of the waist may be finished by over- 
casting. 



SHIRT WAISTS 185 

If it is desired to have the fullness cut away at the Bottom 
waist line in front, determine the length, allowing suffi- Finish 
cient for a blouse, gather the waist at the bottom and 
sew the fullness on to a band. Sometimes this band 
is carried entirely around the waist. 

The fit of the collar or neck band is very important Fit of 
in any kind of a waist. Both the front and the back Collar 
may be cut higher than the pattern, as it is easy to 
cut off in adjusting and more goods cannot be added. 

To the unskilled the simplest garment is sufficiently 
difficult. It is wiser to make two or three perfectly 
plain garments before attempting to make an elaborate 
one. 

After the pattern has been tested, fitted and all nec- 
essary changes made, cut a pattern from the fitted 
waist of cambric or cheap new muslin and mark or 
trace all seams. (Never use old, worn-out sheets from 
which to cut a pattern.) After this permanent pattern 
has been made, do not change a single line. 

If a plaited or tucked waist is to be made, all plait- Tucked 
ing and tucking should be done first, after which the Waist 
same order of making is to be followed for a plain 
waist. No waist should draw or strain across the bust. 
This is especially important in tucked or pleated waists. 
To guard against this tendency, a graduated tuck can Full 
be pinned on either side of the front, beginning with ^f 
nothing at the shoulders and widening at the waist 
line. This is done before the pattern is cut and will 
allow for especially full bust. The fold should be on 
a thread of the goods. 



i86 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



LINED WAISTS 

The plain, closely fitted, lined waist, with the curved 
back and side forms is the most difficult to make and 
requires the greatest nicety in handling from beginning 
to finish. 

The pattern for a bodice of this kind should be of 
such a shape that in each part the woof threads will 




TYPICAL BODICE PATTERNS 

(a) Front. (5) Under Arm Piece, (c) Side of Back, (d) Back, (e) Collar, 
(/) Outside iSleeve. Cr) Inside Sleeve. 

go as straight around the waist as possible. This 
makes the warp threads perpendicular and will give 
almost a perfect bias on the current seams in the back. 
Do not cut the side forms out of any piece that is big 
enough, without regard to the warp and woof threads. 
If this is done, the threads in each will run differently 
and all ways but the right one. In a well-designed pat- 
tern the back forms should be nearly as wide at the 



LINED WAISTS 187 

armV eye as they are at the waist line. The swell of 
bust and shoulders should be accommodated by the 
back and from forms. 

When material is to be cut on the bias be careful 
to> have a true bias (the diagonal of a square) around 
the waist and up the front and back seams. 

PLAN FOR MAKING FITTED, LINED WAIST. 

Pin pattern to lining, cut out trace seams. 
Baste all seams on traced lines. 
Try on lining. Make changes. 
, Rip lining, baste on outside and cut by fitted 
lining. 
Baste seams and try on. Make changes if neces- 
sary. 
Mark the turn for hem down the front, face and 

mark for fastenings. 
Stitch and finish seams. Put on featherbone. 
Put on collar ; sew in sleeves. 
Finish. 
In making a lined waist, the lining is cut, basted, Finish 
and fitted before the outside is cut. After fitting, the First ~ 
lining is ripped apart and the outside cut by it. For all 
firm, heavy materials the lining should be slightly 
fuller than the outside, that is, the dress goods should 
be well stretched over the lining, just as in a lined 
skirt, and basted closely and evenly, the warp and the 
woof threads of the outside and lining corresponding. 
In laying the pattern for cutting the lining, just as 
much attention should be paid to the direction of the 
threads as in cutting a striped or figured goods. 



i88 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Marking 
Seams 



Making 

Changes 

In Straight 

Seams 



Pinning 

and 

Basting 



All seams should be traced on the lining with the 
tracing wheel, with a slow backward and forward move- 
ment, making the porforations clear and distinct. Soft 
spongy goods that cannot be traced may be marked 
with a line of basting, tailor's chalk or by taking 
stitches with a pin along the line to be marked and 
twisting them in the goods. This will make holes that 
can be seen, but the twisting does not harm the goods. 
Always trace or mark the waist line, as this is the 
starting point from which to pin or baste. Bodice seams 
should never be begun at the top or bottom, but at 
the marks or notches that show the waist line, working 
towards the top and bottom. 

After the lining is cut out, the seams should be 
based exactly along the traced lines, with seams out, 
when it is ready to be tried on. 

If the pattern has been cut or drafted by the correct 
bust measure, the back seams should never be changed. 
If possible, make all changes required by letting out 
or taking in on the straight under-arm seams, leav- 
ing the curved ones and the darts untouched. 

Pins should be used plentifully while the fitting is 
being done, but they should be replaced with regular 
basting as soon as they are removed. Do not be afraid 
of taking up fullness in the lining by darts crosswise at 
the top of the corset or where the fullness naturally 
falls in front or back. Such darts should be basted, 
stitched and pressed flat. If the lining is too short, 
it may be lengthened by letting out the shoulder seams. 



LINED WAISTS 



[89 



After the lining is fitted, it is ripped apart, the out- 
side cut, basted to it and the seams are basted, begin- 
ning at the waist line. Never use a long thread in 
basting and always use short, even stitches, especially 
where any curved seams are to be stitchced on the ma- 
chine. This rule must be followed invariably if puck- 
ering is to be avoided. 



Outside 
Cut by 
Lining 




WAIST LINING BASTED, SEAMS OUT 



The pattern at the shoulder seams should be shorter 
in front than at the back. In joining this seam, pin the 
two portions so that the ends of the seam meet exact- 
ly at the neck and arm's eye. In basting, stretch the 
front piece to fit the back, holding it in or puckering it 
if need be. Pressing will banish the pucker and give 
an easy seam that will hug the curve of the shoulder, 
as in a man's coat. 



Shoulder 
Seams 



190 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Fitting 



Fitting 

of Neck 

and Sleeves 



When the waist is on the figure, pull it well down to 
the waist line, pin the front linings together begin- 
ning with the neck, then lift the waist a little in front 
to give fullness and pin to the waist line. Mark for the 
hem down the front, finish the edge with a well-fitted 
facing under which is a thin bias strip of canvas in- 
terlining for buttons or hooks and eyes. Marks showing 
the position of fastenings should be made at this time. 

The neck and arm's eye should be fitted by making 
slashes in the curve — never cut around the curve. For 
the collar or neck band have a true bias of thin canvas 
or crinoline and draw it around the neck and pin with 
the ends out, towards the worker. (Never lap an;y 
edges of waist, belt or collar when fitting.) Mark on 
the waist where the lower edge of the neck band 
touches. Draw the sleeve on the arm, pin and mark 
where it sets right, seeing that the elbow fullness is in 
the right place and that it does not twist at the hand. 

As in the lining, all changes necessary in fitting 
should, if possible, be made in the straight seams, as it 
is difficult to preserve the proper lines of the curved 
ones. The shoulder seams should be the last one to 
be basted. 

After all faults are remedied, the seams are careful- 
ly stitched along the line or basting, the bastings re- 
moved, the seams pressed and finished. The last seam 
to be stitched securely should be the one at the shoul- 
der. By leaving this open, all fullness can be smoothed 
upwards and any trimming can be let into the seam, 



— a 



'"IS' 'vtm 



Jh 



\ -u 




BACK OF WAIST, WELL MATCHED 
191 



192 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Boning 



Draped 

Waist 



Finish 

of Bottom 

of Waist 



Sew in featherbone by cat stitching to the seam, first 
finishing the ends by button-holing. All seams should 
be stretched well when sewing on bones of any kind. 

Curved seams should be notched every one or two 
inches at the curve and bound or overcast. This al- 
lows them to lie flat. 

In a draped waist the lining is made separate and 
not stitched into any seam of the outside except at 
the shoulder. In fitting the outside the back is pinned 
on to the lining firmly, then the front and finally at 
the underarm seams. The seams are then basted, the 
waist tried on again, alterations made, if necessary, 
seams stitched and the bottom finished with the lining, 
as desired. 

Three eyes or other fastenings should always be 
sewed at the seams in the waist line at the back to se- 
cure the skirt to the waist, thus preventing it from 
sinking below the waist line. 

The finish of the lower edge of the waist is often 
a problem. If the waist is to be worn under the skirt, 
just how to finish or whether to finish it at all is a 
question. The first step is to trim the edges evenly. A 
line of stitching and simple overcast will show less 
through a close-fitting skirt of light weight material. 
When binding is used, it should lie perfectly flat, twice 
stitched and pressed well. 

If the waist is to be worn outside the skirt, a nar- 
row bias strip of canvas should be basted on the wrong 
side, the waist turned up over this as directed for 



LINED WAISTS 193 

sleeve and collar finish. Over this a bias facing of 
silk may be hemmed or cat-stitched. 

In spite of careful measuring and all care in cutting, 
the waist may not fit, owing to some deformity or pecul- 
iarity of the figure. Such figures require especially 
careful fitting and the hollow place should be filled out 
with wadding. This needs to be done with the greatest 
care and nicety. 




MAKING BIAS STRIPS FOR FACINGS 

Avoid too frequent fittings. The bias portions of the 
bodice are liable to stretch out of shape and too much 
handling of the waist takes away the freshness. This 
is one reason why it is advisable to make the sleeves 
and collar first in order that the whole waist may be 
fitted at once and all alterations made to fit both sides. 
A perfect figure is the exception rather than the rule 
and the side that is not developed should be well fitted, 
whether sleeve or bodice. 



194 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Altering 
Patterns 



Placing 
of Patterns 



COAT OR TIGHT FITTING SLEEVES 

If it is necessary to lengthen the sleeve, say two 
inches, cut the pattern at right angles to the lines in- 
dicated by the dots, above and below the elbow. The 
slashing should be done exactly at the same distance 
apart in the upper and under portions of the sleeve in 
order to retain the proper shape and size of the top and 
bottom. Separate the parts, allowing one inch above 
and one elbow below the elbow. 

To shorten the sleeve, lap the slashed part or lay a 
fold in the pattern instead of slashing. In either case, 
care should be taken that the fold or lap is of even 
width all the way across, so that the original shape of 
the sleeve will not be lost. 

Too much care cannot be taken in arranging the 
pattern of the sleeve according to the thread of the 
goods. Especially is this the case in the two-piece or 
coat sleeve. Generally the top part of the outside seam 
and the lower part of the same side should be placed 
at the edge or fold of the goods, so that the two run 
in the same straight line. In all cases, the foundation 
sleeve or lining should be cut and fitted before the 
outer portion is adjusted. Ample time should be given 
to the fitting and basting of the sleeve. The "set" of 
the sleeve is very often unsatisfactory because the cut- 
ting and original basting was done in a careless man- 
ner. Remember that greater care is required in sleeve 
making than in any part of the garment. Each sleeve 
is complete in itself and one must not deviate from the 



COAT SLEEVES 195 

other in size, arrangement or ornament, or general ap- 
pearance. They should be cut, basted and fitted alike 
and if the arms differ in size or length the sleeves 
must be so adjusted as to conceal the inequality. 

The sleeves should be made at the same time and 
before the cuffs, then the cuffs, puffs, or whatever spe- 
cial trimming is to be applied to them should be put 
on both sleeves at the same time. If the second sleeve 
is not made or trimmed until after the first is finished, 
it will be much more difficult to secure exactly the 
same effect. If it is impossible to complete both sleeves 
at one time, make the sleeves one day and the cuffs or 
trimming the next day. 

In making the coat sleeves the general methods are 
the same, but each season brings out new styles which 
the maker will have to understand before proper mak- 
ing and finishing can be acquired. Always master the 
simple and standard patterns and the minor changes 
dictated by fashion — new fancies and effects — will not 
be difficult to acquire after a little experience has been 
gained. 

The lining for both sleeves should be fitted and the 
outside cut by them. 

After economical cutting, trace the seams carefully, joining 
and baste the outside to the lining, basting both uppers 
before the under sections. Join the under and upper 
parts by pinning and basting, the outside seam first, be- 
ginning in the middle of the sleeve and working toward 
each end. The outside seams should be begun at the 



the Parts 



196 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



notch at the elbow, working toward each end. Where the 
sleeve calls for gathering the fullness should be dis- 
tributed between the notches and the two portions of 
the sleeve should be secured at this point, before or 
after basting the upper or lower portions of each sleeve. 




FINISHING OF SEAMS 
Notched at Curves and Bound or Overcast. 



Adding 
Cuffs 



Stitch the seams just outside the basting, then re- 
move the line of basting along the seam and press. 
Trim off all rough edges. The inside seam is 
opened and notched at the bend of the elbow and an 
inch or two above and below and bound with silk 
binding ribbon or evenly overcast with twist or mer- 
cerized cotton. 

If an elaborate cuff or trimming is to be added to the 
sleeve, whether full or plain, it should be made sepa- 
rately and blind stitched to the faced sleeve. In case 



COAT SLEEVES 



197 



in Sleeves 



the sleeve is gathered the fullness can be put into a 
narrow band, the exact size of the cuff, the cuff then 
sewed on the band. 

In putting the sleeve in the armhole, be sure that Putting 
both seams are at the same point, that both have the 
same amount of fullness at the top, and that the plaits 
or gathers are equally distributed from front to back. 
The sleeve should be held next to the worker and 
should lie easy from seam to seam at the under arm. 
Baste with close, even stitches or back stitch with 
coarse cotton or twist the same color as the waist. 
Stitch in the sleeves on this line of basting, keeping 
the armholes curved while the stitching is being done. 
Trim off edges and finish with binding or close over- 
casting. The most careful binding is clumsy compared 
to the overcast finish. Turn the seam toward the 
shoulder and hem to the lining over the shoulders. This 
will do away with the stand-up look that sleeves some- 
times have. 

For the sleeve finished plainly around the wrist, a 
piece of bias crinoline should be fitted at the hand. To 
do this, turn the sleeve right side out and slip the crin- 
oline in the sleeve over the left hand and adjust by 
moving the fingers until the crinoline shapes itself to 
the sleeve perfectly, then pin and baste at the top and 
bottom. In this way the crinoline will be neither too 
short nor too loose and all wrinkling will be prevented. 
Turn the sleeve inside out and cut off the crinoline 
one-fourth of an inch from the edge, keeping a per- 



Finish 
at Wrist 



198 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

fectly true edge, turn the sleeve over the crinoline, 
baste the outside part of the sleeve and cat-stitch to the 
crinoline, then cat-stitch the crinoline to the lining. 
Remove the lower basting and press. A bias strip of 
silk sufficiently wide to cover the crinoline is hemmed 
at the lower edge and to the sleeve lining just above 
the interlining. Whenever it is possible to do so use 
the cat-stitch. It is a neat finish, easily and quickly 
done, takes less time than hemming, besides being less 
bulky. 

If the bottom of a coat sleeve is to be left open at 
the back or slashed, an interfacing of light weight can- 
vas will be necessary. Turn the outside portion of the 
sleeve over the canvas, care being taken to turn all 
corners at the slash, and curves, press and stitch, face 
after the stitching is done. It may be stitched bet- 
ter if the back seam is left open. 
Pressing In the coat sleeve, both seams are curved and should 

Sleeves 

be pressed on a curved board. A rocking chair in- 
verted, with the rocker covered with soft cloth, makes 
a good board on which to press the curved seams of a 
sleeve. 

COLLARS 

The shaped, standing collar is worn with waists of 
all kinds and is always a popular neck finish. In a 
close-fitting collar made of heavy material an inter- 
lining of canvas or crinoline is necessary. The inter- 
lining should be cut one-fourth of an inch smaller all 
around if the collar is to be blind stitched to the waist. 



COLLARS 199 

If it is to be sewed to the neck, in a seam, the lining 
should be the same size as the collar at the neck. Baste 
this interlining to the collar material, cut out the cor- 
ners of the material, and hem the extended portion to 
the interlining. The interlining should always be cut 
bias, whether the outside is bias or straight. Hem the 
collar lining to the collar. 

To sew the collar to the neck of the garment, first putting 
pin, beginning at the back seam and baste towards the 
end. The lining may be left free at the lower edge and 
felled over the neck edge after the collar has been 
stitched to the garment, or the lining may be stitched 
in the seam, the seam pressed open and a bias facing of 
silk or light weight'material hemmed on over the seam. 

The beauty of collars and cuffs depends largely upon 
the exact turning of corners and finish of ends. These 
should never be left bulky or clumsy. If preferred, the 
lining and outside of collar may be seamed and turned. 
Place the right sides of outside and lining together, 
the interlining next to the lining, stitch around both 
ends and top of collar, then turn and press. These 
rules may be followed in making sailor or any lined 
collars. Collars made of all over embroidery should 
be faced with tape on the wrong side before the trim- 
ming is applied to cover the edge of ruffle or lace. 

The plain or shirt waist pattern will do duty for 
many garments — corset cover, night dress, dressing 
jacket, etc. The upper part of the waist will answer 
for yoke pattern of different shapes. 



200 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

SEAMLESS YOKES 

Pattern To make a pattern for a seamless yoke baste to- 
gether the shoulder seams of the fitted waist pattern, 
place the upper part of the pattern on cambric or stiff 
paper, with the front of waist on straight edge or fold 
of paper, trace the shape of the neck yoke any desired 
depth below the neck line. The lower edge can be cut 
in any shape, the neck either high or low, round or 
square. This perfectly fitted yoke pattern can be used 
for a foundation for lace, velvet, ribbon, net, or any 
thin material. The circular yoke made of lace and rib- 
bon or bias strips can be made to open in front or back. 
The strips of inserting and ribbon should be basted 
on the paper pattern and joined by fancy stitches or 
over sewed. The parts next the neck will need to be 
held fuller than the outside curve of the inserting. 

All yokes to be worn under the gown should be 
made on a well-fitted lining. Never trust to pinning, 
basting, or hooking the yoke to the waist. 

The finish of collar, cuffs, girdle and placket are hall- 
marks of good dressmaking. Well finished ends and 
corners, the careful adjustment of fastenings, shields 
carefully fitted to the arm's eye and caught smoothly 
to the lining — all these are little things that count for 
more than money spent in expensive ornament. 



PRESSING 



PRESSING 



the Iron 



The success of the finish of every garment depends pressing 

Board 

upon the pressing, whether the material be heavy or 
light, cotton or wool. Garments are always pressed on 
the wrong side, when being made. The iron used 
should neither be too hot nor too heavy and the work 
should be done on a perfectly smooth, well-covered 
board. For pressing black or dark cloth, the cover of 
the board should be dark and free from lint, while a 
perfectly clean light cover should be substituted when 
white or light goods are to be pressed. 

The whole face of an iron should never be put down PlaC i ng 
on a seam or any part of a waist, but the side or point 
should be used, care being taken not to stretch a curved 
seam. A small rolling pin, a broom stick, a chair 
rocker, or any rounded stick well covered can be used 
for pressing curved seams or sleeves. This lessens 
the danger of marking the seams on the right side. 
These are only makeshifts ; a regular half round sleeve 
bound should be obtained if much work is to be done. 

In pressing, the iron should never be shoved or 
pushed, as in ironing. Only heavy materials require 
great strength. It is possible to press too much as 
well as too little. Whatever the material, pressing is 
work that requires to be done carefully and slowly. 
Allow the iron to touch only the center of the seam, 
the edges of the seam will not then be outlined upon 
the goods. Piled goods require infinite care. Uncut 



Pressing 



202 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

velvet, crape, etc., should never be pressed with the 
iron flat on the seam. The seam should be opened 
carefully and over the rounded surface of the board, 
covered with very soft cotton flannel into which the 
pile can sink without being flattened. Run the iron 
with the pile, or the iron may be placed on the side or 
flat end and the seams drawn slowly along the edge of 
the iron the same way the pile runs — only the edge of 
the iron touching the edge of the seam. Corded seams 
should be pressed in the same way to avoid flattening 
the cord. 
Wet Very heavy cloths and chinchilla should have a small 

stream of water carried along the seam, followed by 
the iron ; or the seam may be dampened by a soft 
cloth — very wet. This is the "wet pressing" used by 
tailors, which is adapted to the requirements of mate- 
rials used by them, such as serge, tweeds, etc. Press- 
ing on the right side under a damp cloth is apt to give 
marks if the cloth gets too dry or if the iron is too hot, 
but is necessary on finished wool garments. 

Silk scorches easily and should be pressed very care- 
fully with a cool iron, light in weight. 

Some light colors fade or change in pressing. Try 
a piece of the goods before pressing the garment. If 
the color does not come back when cold or when ex- 
posed to the light, do not use a hot iron on the garment. 



CONSTRUCTION AND ORNAMENT FOR DRESS 



Many of the principles governing architecture and 
art apply equally as well to art in dress. Both in archi- 
tecture and dress, construction should be decorated — 
decoration should never be purposely constructed. It 
is by the ornament of a building that one can judge 
more truly of the creative power which the artist has 
brought to bear upon his work. The general propor- 
tion may be good, the mouldings accurate, but the in- 
stant ornament is attempted, the architect or the dress- 
maker reveals how much of an artist :he is. To put 
ornament in the right place — where it serves a pur- 
pose — is indeed difficult; to render that ornament at 
the same time an added beauty and an expression of 
the desired unity is far more difficult. 

All decoration should be planned to enrich — not to 
assert. All jewelry or ornament should form a note 
in the general harmony of color — a decorative touch to 
add beauty and to be subordinated' to the object deco- 
rated. It should serve the purpose of seeming to 
strengthen the whole or to protect the parts receiving 
most wear. Ornament is everywhere attempted. We 
see ornament at every turn — good and bad alike — in 
our homes, on clothes, linen, and kitchen utensils. 
Carlyle tells us that 'The first want of barbarous man 
is decoration." We have no record of when this need 
was felt first. Primitive man after supplying his ac- 
tual needs, seemed to develop a longing for the beauti- 
ful, so he ornamented his own body, scratched rude pat- 
terns on his tools and weapons and gradually devel- 



Principles 
of Ornament 



Purpose of 
Ornament 



204 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Errors in 
Ornamentation 



Embroidery 



oped the artistic sense. This love of ornament dates 
back to the beginnings of the human race and there 
are no records of a race or a period devoid of it. 

We see gowns totally lacking in good results because 
too much has been attempted. The wearer has not con- 
sidered the effect as a whole, but has gratified her lik- 
ing for a multiplicity of ornaments and color which, 
perhaps would be good in themselves, if applied sep- 
arately, but which becomes an incongruous mixture 
when brought together on one garment. 

Garments which seem to have required great effort 
in the making and which appear complex in construc- 
tion should be avoided, for the effect is not pleasing. 
The gown should set off the wearer, not the wearer 
the gown. 

To avoid committing errors against good taste it is 
essential first to consider the use of any garment and 
see if it answers the purpose for which it was designed. 
If any part appears meaningless, this is a sure indica- 
tion that it is wanting in grace and beauty. The orna- 
ment should harmonize with the materials, use, and 
construction of the object to which it is applied. The 
color must be massed with effect and detailed with 
care. 

There can be no ornamentation equal to that which 
is worked into the material, such as embroidery. The 
design should be appropriate in form and color and 
always conventional. Flowers are used most fre- 
quently for embroidery and passementerie and the 



ORNAMENT IN DRESS 



205 



simple, single flowers are the most effective, such as 
the daisy, the wild rose, and the flowers of the lily 
family. These simple flowers are the best because they 
radiate from a central point, have strong forms and 
decided proportions, can be most fully expressed in a 
few stitches requiring the fewest shades of color, and 
are admirably adapted for amateur workers. 

Old Indian stuffs, jewelry, and enamels are rich in 
suggestions of conventionalized flowers. The simple, 
single flowers are repeated constantly, the daisy ap- 
pearing to be the favorite in these beautiful ornaments. 
The most beautiful of all conventional flower work, 
jewel studded, is found in samples of work of the fif- 
teenth century. They simple suggest the forms of na- 
ture. The repetition of the same flower in all its as- 
pects is more pleasing and less tiresome to the eye than 
a variety of flowers or figures. 

We find upon analysis that the simple forms are the 
basis of all decorative art work. Geometrical designs 
and arabesques are the most difficult, requiring the 
most exacting and careful work. Narrow bands, 
braided, outlined, or chain-stitched in simple designs 
are effective, easily done, and wear well. Braids and 
any of these stitches may be combined, making durable 
and effective trimming for sleeves and neck. These 
simple designs are also appropriate for children's 
frocks. The French knots are ornamental and dura- 
ble. All embroidery and passementerie should be rich, 
close, and continuous. It should not be cut up into 



Flowers 

as Ornament 



Geometrical 
Designs 



206 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 




PASSEMENTERIE OF GOOD DESIGN 




POOR DESIGN, WEAK CONNECTION 



pieces and sewed on where it does not serve, or appear 
to serve, a purpose. 
Passementerie There is very little passementerie that is at all suit- 

able for forming edges, as it is not sufficiently substan- 
tial, but when it can be found firm and of the right 
shade it is one of the most beautiful ornaments to edge 
neck and sleeves. It may be allowed to extend beyond 



ORNAMENT IN DRESS 



207 



the dress material, so that the flesh tints may show 
through the design, thus gradually softening the out- 
line. Often a narrow passementerie can be found with 
one strong edge and a good border can be made by 
joining the two. This cannot be done where the pat- 
tern is united by a band running through the center 
of the ornament. 




JOINING NARROW PASSEMENTERIE TO FORM A BORDER 



A band of velvet or cloth embroidered in outline 
stitch and French knots of same shade as the garment 
is a satisfactory edge. Except for yokes, the knots 
should always be held together with the outline edge. 

The rich silk braids and passementeries are made of 
silk wound or woven over cotton and should be used 
only on dresses which are not intended for hard wear. 
Such trimmings are, of course, inappropriate on serges 
and homespuns and soon become shabby if given much 
rough service. 

Laces, like all trimmings, have defined limits within 
which they should be used, though they are often worn 
indiscriminately. Machine made laces, often good in 



Bands 



Use of 
Laces 



208 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Design of 
Lace 



Placing of 
Decorations 



Simplicity 

and 

Harmony 



The Bow 



make and design, are now very common, but the best 
machine-made laces are not cheap in price. 

Handsome lace should be applied rather plainly, as 
the pattern is often lost in the gathers. Fine laces are 
out of harmony with heavy or coarse materials. When 
lace is desired for flounces that with running patterns 
which neither advance nor retreat, except in the folds 
which may be made, will be found most pleasing. Dis- 
tinct objects, such as baskets, crowns, vases, etc., which 
suggest weight, are unsuitable patterns for so light a 
fabric as lace. 

Attention to details is essential in the placing of 
these decorations, as in the selection or making of 
them. The worker should take into consideration the 
shape and size of the bands or pieces of trimming and 
should note carefully the chief characteristics of the 
design and above all the junction of leaves, flowers, 
arabesques, especially in the finishing of the corners of 
collars and cuffs. 

Those at all skillful with the use of the needle can 
attain the most beautiful and artistic results if right 
laws in color and design are adhered to, even by the 
use of the simplest stitches, for the beauty of dress lies 
not so much in the richness and variety of material 
used as upon simplicity and harmony — a fact too often 
disregarded. 

Perhaps no ornament is more abused than the bow. 
In order not to appear intrusive, ribbons require the 
most delicate handling. The only excuse for a ribbon 



ORNAMENT IN DRESS 209 

as an ornament is when it makes a pretense of tying. 
When used as a sash where folds or gathers are con- 
fined, the tone of the ribbon should, in general, vary 
scarcely from that of the dress. 

Whatever the ornament used, whether embroidered Fitness 
band, a ribbon, a cord that laces, a diamond pin, or £ 
jeweled buckle, though it may possess great intrinsic 
value and beauty, it cannot be considered of real worth 
as an ornament unless it fulfills the most important 
condition — fitness of place. 

Although the art of dress admits of innumerable 
variations, like all other arts it is subject to the three 
rules of beauty — order, proportion and harmony. 

Ornaments are appropriate on the hems or edges 
of garments where it serves the purpose of strengthen- 
ing and protecting the parts most worn, and not sim- 
ply where fancy or fashion dictates. 

The natural fastenings and fold centers should be Natural 
along the axis or center of the body. Any jewelry, 
buckle, brooch, or ornament used to fasten, secure, or 
strengthen these centers or to hold bands of embroid- 
ery, collar, or folds together should be sufficiently 
strong to serve the purpose. There must be a reason 
for position and the purpose of its use must be ap- 
parent to satisfy the eye. The eye is unconsciously and 
irresistibly drawn to these natural centers and demands 
some object there on which to rest — some substance 
from which the fold emanate — some reason for their 
detention. If this ornament at the throat or waist 



Centers 



210 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



fastening collar or holding folds by a girdle or clasp 
is omitted, the eye is disappointed. This does not 
mean that the ornament, jewel, passementerie, or em- 
broidery should always be placed in the axis or central 
line of the figure — this may be carried too far. Slight 
irregularities often give an effect to hat or gown that 
is charming. 




PASSEMENTERIE COVERING FACING 



Trimming Remember that trimming is not intended to cover 

up, but to beautify and strengthen. When, for econ- 
omy's sake, it is used to cover worn places or other de- 
fects, it must be selected and applied with great care 
or it will loudly proclaim its mission. 

Trimming should mean something — whether jewelry 
or passementerie. Bands that bind nothing, straps, 
bows, buckles, or pins that confine nothing offend the 
taste. A girdle should seem, even if it does not, to belt 



Dress 



ORNAMENT, IN DRESS 211 

in fullness ; it has no use on a close-fitting, plain waist. 
No draperies should be invisibly held ; supply some ap- 
parent means of confining the gathers. To preserve the 
lines of the figure there should be unity in the dress. 
Ai tight-fitting skirt below a gathered waist or a full, -g nity in 
gathered skirt below a plain waist gives the appearance 
of two portions of the body instead of the oneness 
desired. 

The figure should never be cut across, either above 
or below the waist-line with contrasting colors, differ- 
ent shades of the same color, or bands of different tex- 
ture. Below the waist-line the figure should suggest 
the elements of strength and these horizontal bands cut 
the lines of the figure at an angle of opposition, de- 
stroying the rhythm and grace of the lines. 

Much experience is required in placing horizontal 
lines of ornament on a skirt effectively. In general, 
rows of tucks or ornament should diminish in width 
from the bottom towards the top. The plain spaces 
should be greater than those ornamented. When or- 
nament gives absolute evenness of space division in 
skirt or waist the effect is apt to be monotonous and 
unsatisfactory. 

The natural places of support for garments are the 
neck, shoulders and waist. Ornamentation which 
emanates from these centers or when used for bor- 
ders, if appropriate in design, is usually successful. 



212 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Appropriate 
Designs 



Advantage 
of Plain 
Material 



ORNAMENT OF TEXTILES 

In addition to ornament added to garment, the orna- 
ment in the textile itself must be considered. 

Textiles may be beautiful in weave, but spoiled by 
the design. Quite as important as intrinsic beauty is 
appropriateness of pattern. How often do we see 
woven on our curtains, carpets, and garment materials 
fans, bunches of roses tied with ribbons — bows with 
long, fluttering ends — landscapes, snow scenes, etc. 
Nothing is beautiful out of its place. A fan suggests 
coolness and grace of motion, but woven in our tex- 
tiles it gives the same impression as a butterfly mounted 
on a pin — something perverted, imprisoned, or robbed 
of its natural use. Nothing is or ever can be beauti- 
ful without use — without harmony. Decorations on 
textiles are not to tell stories. There is a difference 
between landscape painting and using landscapes as a 
motive for decorating textiles or pottery. In one case 
the aim is to annihilate surface by producing the im- 
pression of distance; in the other, the object is to glor- 
ify the surface only. 

For the woman of limited income it is wiser to se- 
lect plain material of good texture and weave. Such 
material is never conspicuous, can be made over, and 
is always restful and may be interesting. Any good 
textile must impress itself upon the mind by its sug- 
gestiveness and beauty of color. There is a difference 
between what may be called artistic and decorative 



ORNAMENT OF TEXTILES 



213 



embellishment of textiles. Each has its place in the 
world of beauty, but one is the poetry, the other the 
prose of the art. 

There is a dignity and restfulness in plain material 
which is never obtained by varied patterns. When a 
stripe is used to vary the material, the style of the tex- 
tile is changed, elongated if the stripe is vertical, and 
widening if it is horizontal. If the main stripe is cut 
at right angles with a second stripe, the textile appears 
more complicated and repose is lost. The same is true 
of checks, but no pattern is more distracting than large 
plaids, especially when used for waists, because the 
regularity of the design renders very conspicuous any 
inequalities in the shoulders or bust, and the great va- 
riety of colors detracts from the dignity of the dress. 
With small checks and narrow, self-colored stripes the 
effect is different, causing the texture to appear only 
shaded and not destroying the unity. 

On garment fabrics the ornamentation should be 
flat, without shadow or relief. The pattern must en- 
hance and not mar the figure. If flowers, foliage, or 
other natural objects are used for the designs, they 
should be conventionalized — not direct copies of na- 
ture. A figured textile requires more careful planning 
than plain material. It may be beautiful when used 
properly, but it will appear hideous if distorted in the 
making. A conventional fleur-de-lis pattern, or a long 
dash which appears and disappears when used in long, 



Stripes 



Conventionalized 
Designs 



214 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

graceful folds, adds to the apparent height. These 
same figures wrongly used spread out awkwardly or 
become distorted, 
size of The size of the design should be regulated by the 

esxgn mater } a i — sma ii patterns being used for close, thick 
fabrics and larger designs, with more delicate colors, 
for thin material of open texture. Thick, heavy fab- 
rics require rich, warm colors and the pattern likewise 
should be rich and decorative. Velvets, velveteens, and 
heavy cloths for dresses are beautiful in themselves 
and should not be marred by patterns or trimmings. 

Spirals or curved lines running crosswise on textiles 
distort the natural curves of the figure by making seem- 
ing undulations where none should be and accentuat- 
ing the prominence of hips and bust. Such patterns 
should not be used in folds. 

COLOR 

Texture Much is to be considered in choosing colors and it is 

Color folly to suggest a particular shade for a person without 

taking into account texture of the textile. Though the 

color may be good, the weave may destroy what might 

otherwise have been a success. 

Not only must color in itself be studied, but quality 
of color in textiles as well. A shade of red, for ex- 
ample, in dull silk or lusterless material may be most 
unbecoming for a woman of a certain type, while it 
may be worn successfully if made in rich velvet or 
glossy silk. 



COLOR 215 

Some women maintain that they cannot wear green, 
but nearly all can dress becomingly in this color if the 
shade and texture is selected carefully. The same may 
be said of other colors for the many variations should 
be taken into consideration. 

The average woman in selecting materials for gowns 
or house furnishings is apt to be influenced too much 
by details, as she would judge the merits of a fine piece 
of needlework, hence the value of good, broad color 
schemes fails to appeal to her. The chenille curtain, 
perhaps, suits her because it is full of complex 
decoration. 

After having determined the prevailing color of a Harmony 
costume, the details should be in harmony, rather than contrast 
in contrast with it. Different tones of one color are 
more satisfactory than striking contrasts, and even 
strong patches of light and shade of the same color 
should be avoided, as well as patches of crude and vivid 
color. The pleasing contrasts found in nature cease 
to be happy when attempted in textiles. 

Use few colors, avoid bright shades except in small 
quantities. All bright colors should be placed near 
the face, rather than on or near the bottom of skirts 
or the edge of sleeves. Avoid strong contrasts ; the 
brighter the color and the greater the contrast with 
other colors, the louder and cruder will be the effect. 
"No color harmony is of a high order unless it involve 
indescribable tints." 



CHILDREN'S CLOTHES 



Infants' 
Clothing 



Stockinet 
Undergarment* 



Plainness, purity, softness of texture rather than 
elaborate ornament should be the main consideration 
for infants' clothes. The finest and softest of French 
and Scotch flannels, French linen, dimity, nainsook, 
and India silk are always dainty and they should be 
made up very simply with little trimming, but that of 
the finest. 

Hems and seams should be small and neatly done 
with, perhaps, the daintiest beading inset by hand and 
feather stitched. Hemstitching is always beautiful, but 
makes a weak spot which is apt to give out in the con- 
stant laundering necessary for children's clothes. 

The skirt and shirt made in one piece, with sleeves 
to slip into the little outside garment, both to open 
down the back so that all may be slipped on at the same 
time without worry to either nurse or baby, will be 
found a great convenience. 

Stockinet or webbing, all wool, partly wool, or all 
cotton, is preferred by may to the plain cloth. The 
cotton is non-shrinkable, easily made, and finished. 
This garment fabric has reached such a high degree of 
perfection that for infants and children of larger 
growth nothing better can be desired for shirts, skirts, 
drawers, and tights. It may be had in either light or 
heavy weight, is easily laundered and elastic, having 
all the qualities desired in undergarments. Garments 
made of this material in the manner described give per- 

216 



CHILDREN'S CLOTHES 217 

feet freedom for all organs, besides evenness of cover- 
ing for the body and lightness of weight— all important 
considerations in infants' and children's clothing. 

There should be the same simplicity in construction 
and material in the garments of children of larger 
growth. The design should be smaller, more realistic 
and the color brighter than for grown people. 

For children's dresses, the pretty ginghams in small children's 
checks, chambray, dimity, serge, flannels, cashmere Dresses 
are appropriate and serviceable. 

In making up these simple materials nothing better 
can be suggested than the plain, straight waist, fitting 
easily, to which a full skirt is fastened. The sleeves 
may be of any fashion to add variety. Such a frock is 
simple and dignified and has a certain archaic beauty 
and quaintess that the huge, ugly collars and like orna- 
ment can never give. 

With the plain body the grace of the childish form 
is not lost. The body may be short or long, with the 
trimming at the bottom or edge of the skirt. The 
gathers fall in long lines or folds, no element of oppo- 
sition destroying the rythm and grace of the figure 
contour, when the trimming is placed at the bottom of 
the frock instead of several bands dividing the skirt. 

The waist should always be wider in front than in 
the back. The discomfort and injury caused by ill 
fitting garments, graded according to age instead of 
according to size, thus restricting the expansion of the 
chest and the play of the lungs, cannot be estimated. 



218 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

With the proper kind of frock a child can indulge in 
any game without becoming in the least disordered. 
Dresses for little girls may have drawers made of the 
same material, thus permitting them the same freedom 
as the boys. The life of the child is play. Unfortu- 
nate is the child whose clothing is too good to play in. 
Of course there should be frocks for gala occasions. 
Children are sensitive to color and receive much inno- 
cent enjoyment from being prettily dressed. A child 
may be made unhappy and timid by ugly clothes, but 
plainness need not mean ugliness. There are many 
artistic and simple patterns now being put on the mar- 
ket and many of the ready-made frocks found in 
the best shops are satisfactory. 



Attentions 



CARE OF CLOTHING 

Ruskin says, "Clothes carefully cared for and rightly 
worn, show a balance of mind and self respect." 

The freshness of gown or wrap may be preserved by Little 
the little attentions bestowed upon it each time it is 
worn, which take but a few minutes and mean so much 
in all departments of dress. By carefully brushing and 
shaking into folds, removing all spots, hanging right 
side out, picking and pulling straight flowers, bows, 
and ribbons as soon as removed, adding buttons 
and taking up dropped stitches when needed, — all these 
little attentions if given promptly will keep a wardrobe 
fresh and in good order. New braid on the bottom of 
skirts, sponging and pressing, little alterations and ad- 
dition of new trimming to collar and cuffs, will help to 
preserve the original freshness of the gown and cause 
the wearer to appear well dressed. 

Waists should be turned wrong side out when re- 
moved and allowed to air near a window. Shields 
should be cleansed with alcohol and water. Ribbons 
should be rolled up immediately when taken off and if 
treated in this way will last much longer and look 
much daintier. 

Clothing if moist and dusty and tossed into a dark 
corner of a closet or trunk can never appear fresh 
again, and will betray the character of the wearer. It 
is not the wearing of clothes which tells so sadly upon 
them, but the manner in which they are cared for. A 
few garments nicely made, well fitted and properly 

219 



220 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Ruffled 
Skirts 



Packing 

Away 

Clothing 



Folding 
Garments 



cared for are far preferable to twice the number of 
inferior quality and make. 

Skirts of thin material having ruffles around the bot- 
tom should be hung upside down by loops sewed under 
the ruffles at the seams. By hanging in the opposite di- 
rection from which they fall when worn, ruffles regain 
their freshness. 

All clothing for the season should be put away in 
perfect order to be ready for any sudden emergency 
which may arise. No clothing of any kind should be 
stored for the season without thorough cleaning and 
repairing where necessary. Garments that are out- 
grown should be disposed of, instead of packing them 
away. Wool garments should be carefully brushed and 
hung in the sun to remove and destroy any eggs of 
moths which may be present. They may be hung in 
tight cotton bags or packed in tight boxes with all 
openings posted over as a protection against moths. 
Tailors' boxes which come flat are not expensive and 
are useful for this. They should be plainly labeled 
with their contents. 

To fold, lay all articles on the bed or table and fold 
on the seams if possible. Particular attention should 
be given to sleeves and collars. Coat lapels should be 
turned to lie flat, collars turned up, and the coat folded 
directly through the center seam. 

Skirts and coats with bias seams are not improved 
by hanging as the bias parts are apt to stretch out of 
shape. 



CLEANING 



221 



No clothing should be put away for the night, even, 
without first removing all steel pins, as the least damp- 
ness may cause rust spots. 

Clothes forms and hangers are so inexpensive that 
every gown and coat should have its own. Skirts 
should be hung exactly on the form and no part of 
the band should be allowed to sag. 

If fancy waists are put in drawers or boxes, they 
should have the sleeves filled with tissue paper and the 
collars and bows should be pulled straight. 



Remove 
Pins 



Hangers 



CLEANING 

Large garments require the greatest care in hand- 
ling and in order to be done successfully, they should 
be sent to the professional cleaner. 

All stains and spots should be removed as soon as 
possible. Fruit and wine stains may be removed by 
stretching the fabric over a vessel and pouring boiling 
water through the cloth from a height of a foot or two. 
The water must be boiling. 

Ink stains can be taken out of clothing by dipping 
the cloth in milk, squeezing the blackened milk into one 
dish and dipping immediately into clear milk until the 
stain has disappeared. Then finish by washing the 
cloth in warm water and in soapy water to remove the 
fat in the milk. 

Iron rust may be removed from linen and cotton 
by using lemon juice and salt. Wet the spot with the 
juice of a lemon, cover with salt and lay in the sun, 



Fruit and 
Wine Stains 



Ink Stains 



Iron Rust 



222 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

repeating the operation until the stain is removed, then 

rinse out the lemon and salt thoroughly. This of course 

cannot be used on colored fabrics, as it fades the color. 

Grease Grease is one of the worst foes to garments and the 

SpOtS ; ° 

greatest care is needed to remove such spots from 
delicate fabrics. If not done at once, the dust and 
grease together often prove ruinous. When the color 
and fabric will not be injured by it, warm water and 
soap is the best agent, otherwise absorbents may be 
used. French chalk or magnesia powdered, placed 
upon the spot, and allowed to remain for a time will 
often absorb the grease effectually. If the first appli- 
cation is not effective, brush off, and apply again until 
the spot disappears. Where water can be used without 
injuring the cloth, the chalk or magnesia can be made 
into a paste and spread over the spot. When dry, 
brush off with a soft brush. 

In removing fresh grease spots, blotting paper with 
a warm iron may often be used effectively. If the 
heat changes the color of the cloth, the iron should be 
held above the goods. 
Blood Blood stains may be removed by making a paste of 
starch and applying it to the spot. Several applica- 
tions may be necessary. 
Solvents Only the best and purest benzine, naphtha, gaso- 
line, and turpentine should be used for cleaning gar- 
ments. For removing paints from coarse cloth, pure 
turpentine is useful, while for silks, velvets and wool- 
ens, benzine, naptha and gasoline are to be preferred. 



CLEANING 



223 



The secret of success in the use of any of these cleans- 
ing agents lies in immersing the garments in large 
quantities of the liquid. Not less than a gallon should 
be used for a waist and two gallons will do the work 
far more satisfactorily. An effort should be made to 
remove all the worst spots before immersing the whole 
garment. Those which have not disappeared should 
then be marked with white thread, colored thread may 
leave a mark. It is a good plan to enclose the spot 
with a line of basting. Soak the garment for some 
time in the liquid, then soap all spots thoroughly and 
rub gently between the hands until they disappear. 
Finally wash and rinse the garment in clear liquid and 
hang in the open air until all odor has passed away. 
Soap may be used freely with gasoline with good ef- 
fect. Some professional cleaners use a little of the 
strongest ammonia in their gasoline tanks. The goods 
should be shaken well and all folds pulled out straight 
with the threads of the goods. Velveteen, corduroy, 
and like piled fabrics can be cleaned successfully if 
not too much worn, but no amount of cleaning will 
restore the pile that is worn off. 

If allowed to stand until the impurities have settled 
and the clear liquid poured into clean bottles, it may be 
used for a number of times. This should always be 
done in the open air. 

Chloroform may be used for cleaning the most deli- 
cate silks, though this is rather expensive. 

Whenever any of these liquids are used to remove 
spots alone, the spots should be placed upon a soft pad 
of several thicknesses of old cloth or blotting paper to 



Cleaning 
Garments 



Soap and 
Ammonia 
with Gasoline 



Absorbing 
Pad 



224 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Cleaning 
Velvet 



Before 

Sending to 

Cleaners 



absorb the surplus liquid and the spot should be rubbed 
from the outside towards the center. A hole may be 
cut in very soft cloth or blotting paper and placed 
around the spot to absorb the solvent around the stain 
and prevent the dark ring being formed. The cloth 
should be rubbed lightly and briskly until it is dry. If 
the fabric is light colored, a sponge or a soft piece of 
light cloth should be used, while for dark fabrics, the 
cloth used for rubbing the spot should also be dark 
and free from lint. The rubbing should be done light- 
ly so as not to wear or injure the texture of the fabric. 
The blotting paper or cloth underneath should be 
changed frequently until the spot has entirely disap- 
peared. 

Velvet hats and bonnets, after all trimming is re- 
moved, may be cleaned by repeated dippings in benzine 
or gasoline. The vessel used should be large enough 
to hold a sufficient quantity of the liquid to completely 
cover the hat. Of course all dust should be carefully 
brushed off and all folds ripped and loosened before 
putting the hat into the liquid. The secret of success 
lies in having the article entirely free from dust and 
using a large quantity of the benzine or gasoline. 

Before sending out garments to be dyed or cleaned, 
be sure that they are in good condition. All worn 
places should be mended carefully and all buttons 
should be removed. Garments that are ripped should 
have all cut threads pulled out and be free from dust. 
Dust silk fabrics with a piece of clean flannel and 
woolen material with a brush or broom. 



REPAIRING 
REPAIRING 



225 



Fabrics are so much cheaper and so much easier to 
obtain that patching has almost become one of the lost 
arts. The twentieth century woman feels that her 
time is too valuable to be spent in mending the old 
clothes and that she can better afford to buy new. 
However that may be, no one disputes the utility of 
mending. Like so many other duties, mending is half 
done when well begun. A well made garment of good 
material should not be discarded when slightly worn, 
for a patch well put in or a neat piece of darning de- 
tracts in no way from the value of a garment and may 
even be a work of art. The children's clothes particu- 
larly should be kept in good order, for they are made 
uncomfortable by wearing garments that are out of re- 
pair, to say nothing of the demoralizing effect upon 
their characters. 

Laundering is the great ally to tears and not only 
doubles the size of the hole, but pulls the threads apart 
so that it is impossible to make the mended place neat 
and smooth, therefore all clothing should be mended 
before washing. Stockings and woven underwear are 
much worn by the rubbing on the washboard and thin 
places going into the washing frequently come out as 
holes, so that it is true economy of effort and time to 
"run" or darn the thin places before they are worn 
through. It requires much less time and the garments 
last longer. 



Economical 
Mending 



Laundering 
and Repairs 



226 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Boys' 
Trowsers 



Sleeves 



Table 

Cloths 



Lengthening 
Garments 



It is a good plan, especially in knees of stockings 
and knitted underwear, to baste a piece of fine net over 
a worn or broken place and darn over it. (See Darn- 
ing.) Thread used for darning should be as near as 
possible the size of the threads in the garment. Darn- 
ing cotton, linen, wool, and silk of all shades can be 
bought, so that the problem of matching is no longer a 
difficult one. 

In mending the knees of boys' trousers a round patch 
should never be used. The seams should be ripped and 
the piece set in then, if the seams are pressed well, the 
patch will scarcely be noticeable. 

When bodices are worn under the arm, rip the seams 
and set in a new ''under arm" piece. A good plan for 
one whose dresses are apt to wear through quickly is 
to have the under arm pieces and the adjacent parts of 
the front made of two thicknesses of the goods ; then, 
as the outside wears through, the edges can be hemmed 
down or taken into the seam. 

When table cloths begin to wear in the middle fold or 
along the edge of the table, a few inches cut off one 
end and one side of the cloth will change the fold and 
the place where it falls over the table and give it a new 
lease of life. If the hem is turned down once and cat 
stitched, it will resemble the selvage more than a twice 
turned hem. 

In repairing or lengthening garments that have be- 
come too short, much can be done by adding to the 
bottom of the skirt and sleeves material of different 



REPAIRING 



227 



texture. A cloth or serge skirt may be lengthened by 
facing with velvet of the same shade, covering the 
line of sewing with cord, braid, or passementerie of 
the same shade or black. There should be an under- 
facing of light-weight crinoline to make the bottom of 
the skirt firm and to give strength. The same facing 
and passementerie may be used at neck and sleeves. 

Thin gowns of lawn, dimity, etc., can be lengthened 
with a faced or extension hem, the line of sewing to be 
covered with feather stitch or any of the fancy stitches 
of white or colored thread. If the lawn or dimity has 
a colored figure, the embroidery silk or cotton may 
match this. Under skirts and drawers may be length- 
ened in the same way or rows of tucks may be 
added. 

In waist repairing, the sewing silk should match the 
material. Set the patch into the seams when possible 
and trust to careful pressing. If the material begins to 
wear near the end of the bones, cut off the bones an 
inch and take in the dart or seam. If the silk wears 
off around the hooks and eyes, move them along ever 
so little. Make a virtue of worn out seams by taking 
them in and covering them with fancy stitching. If the 
garment is lined, the outside should be carefully basted 
to the lining before stitching to take in the seam. It 
has been said that silk waists are serviceable as long 
as the upper parts of the sleeves remain good. 

If garments have not been well cared for from the 
first and beyond a certain point, "making over" is poor 



Extension 
Hem and 
Tucks 



Waist 
Repairing 



228 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Mending 
Blankets 



Use of 
Tape 



Use of 

Judgment 

in Mending 



economy. Never attempt cleaning and making over 
old clothes unless the material is good enough to make 
it worth while to do the work well. 

The mending basket is an important adjunct of 
mending and should be well supplied with darning cot- 
ton of all colors and sizes, good English tape, black and 
white, of different widths, linen tape, bias tape, differ- 
ent kinds and sizes of needles, — sewing, darning, shoe, 
carpet, and tape needles. 

For repairing bands and facings, where buttons have 
been torn off by wringer or iron, and for strengthen- 
ing weak places, tape is invaluable. It saves the time 
required to turn in the edges of the cloth and is less 
clumsy and bungling. 

The mender should use good judgment as to the 
amount of work to be applied to each garment. She 
should substitute the machine needle whenever possible 
and not put tiny stitches by hand into half worn gar- 
ments or in unseen places. Ripped tucks and bands 
can be sewed in a few minutes on the machine. Serv- 
iceable darning can be done on the machine. 

Before putting away freshly laundered clothes it is a 
good plan to take out the clothes already in the draw- 
ers and lay the ones washed last on the bottom, thus 
all garments will wear alike, each article in its regular 
turn. 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 229 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Home and School Sewing, Frances Patton, ($.60, postage 6c). 

School Needlework, Olive C. Hapgood, ($75, postage 6c). 

Sewing Course for Schools, Mary Schenck Woolman, ($3.50, 
postage 20c). 

Progressive Lessons in Needlework, Catherine F. Johnson, 
($.90, postage 8c). 

Sewing and Garment Drafting, Margaret L. Blair, ($1.25, 
postage 10c). 

Manual of Exercises in Hand Sewing, Margaret L. Blair, 
($1.25, postage 10c). 

Dressmaking Up to Date, Butterick Pub. Co., ($.25, post- 
age 8c). 
Note: The above books may be borrowed, one at a time, 

by members of the School. Send the postage given with re- 
quest. They may be purchased if desired. 



TEST QUESTIONS 

The following questions constitute the "written reci- 
tation" which the regular members of the A. S. H. E. 
answer in writing and send in for the correction and 
comment of the instructor. They are intended to 
emphasize and fix in the memory the most important 
points in the lesson. 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

PART III 



Read Carefully. To make this test of greatest value to 
you, write fully from your personal standpoint and experience. 
Try as many methods given in the text as your time will 
allow so that you may ask for explanation if the descriptions 
are not clear to you. Methods are many; if you do not agree 
with these given, suggest better ones. 



1. (a) What are the requisites for good dress- 
making? (b) How does dressmaking dif- 
fer from white sewing in make, finish, and 
ornamentation ? 

2. From your point of view what do you consider 

a successful garment? 

3. Give methods of altering patterns. 

4. Give briefly the cutting and making of a wool 

garment from patterns: (a) waist, (b) 
sleeve, (c) skirt, (d) collar, including meth- 
ods of stitching, pressing and finish, stating 
how patterns should be placed on lining and 
outside materials. 

5. How may pressing be done to give the best re- 

sults? What garments require little or no 
pressing, and why? 

6. (a) State some of the principles and purposes 

of ornament, (b) What is your idea of orna- 
ment applied to garments? (c) Give some 
errors in ornamentation not named in text. 

231 



232 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

J. Cut from magazines illustrations showing your 
idea of good and faulty ornamentation in 
dress. Give reason for your opinion. 

8. Illustrate in some way, either by picture, draw- 

ing, embroidery, braid, or stitching, some de- 
sign appropriate for ornament work on neck 
or sleeve. 

9. Where should ornament be placed, and why? 

10. (a) Give your idea of appropriate design on tex- 

tiles, (b) The advantage and disadvantage 
of plain materials. 

11. Make a color card of silk, wool, paper or raffia 

showing colors that contrast, (b) Colors that 
harmonize. 

12. What colors do you find satisfactory for your 

own wear, and why? 

13. What materials are best suited for infants' gar- 

ments? (b) What can you say in regard to 
children's clothing? 

14. What is your opinion of the care of clothing? 

(b) W r hat experience have you had in clean- 
ing (a) cotton, (b) wool, (c) linen, (d) silk, 
(e) velvet? 

15. Do you consider it economy to repair garments? 

Can you suggest better methods than those 
given in the text ? 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 233 

16. If possible make some garment, shirt waist, 

skirt, or simple dress while studying this les- 
son and describe in detail how you went about 
it, the result, time taken, total cost. Tell why 
you selected the design, the color, the mate- 
rial. 

17. Have you found the ready made garments satis- 

factory in underwear and dresses? 

18. Tell of some of your failures in dressmaking and 

give the reasons for your lack of success. 

19. What methods, new to you, have you tried in 

connection with this lesson? What questions 
have you to ask? 

20. Can you add any suggestions that would be help- 

ful to others in this work? 

21. Wherein have the lessons been of practical value 

to you? 

22. For Teachers. Draw up an outline for a course 

in sewing to combine two considerations: (a) 
adaptability to the child's interests and capaci- 
ties, (b) orderly sequence in the technical 
part. 

Note: After completing the answers, sign your full name. 



234 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

REFERENCES: ORNAMENT AND DESIGN 

Bachelder — Principles of Design in America. ($3.00.) 

Brown — History of Decorative Art. ($1.25.) 

Carter, Mrs. H. J. — Historic Ornament in Color. (15c a 

sheet). Prang. 
Clifford — Period Decoration. ($3.00.) 
Crane — Claims of Decorative Art. (Out of print.) 
Crane — Line and Form. ($2.25.) 
Daniels — Teaching of Ornament. ($1.50.) 
Day — Application of Ornament. ($1.25.) 
Day — Nature in Ornament. ($4.00.) 
Day — Ornamental Design. (Out of print.) 
Day — Planning of Ornament. (Out of print.) 
Day — Decorative Design of all Ages. ($0.40.) 
Day — Ornament and Its Application. ($3.25.) 
Day — Ornamental Design, Anatomy of Pattern, Planning 

of Ornament. ($3.00.) 
Day — Some Principles of Everyday Art. (Out of print.) 
Glazier — Manual of Historic Ornament. (New edition in 

press.) 
Hulme — Birth and Development of Ornament. (Out of 

print.) 
Jones — Grammar of Ornament. ($18.00.) 
Prang — Art and Ornament in Egypt. ($1.50.) 

Note — The books out of print may be found in some 
public libraries. 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 235 

REFERENCES: HISTORY OF COSTUME 

Earle — Costume of Colonial Times. ($1.25.) 

Earle — Two Centuries of Costume in America, 2 vols. 

($2.50 each.) 
Evans— Chapters on Greek Dress. (Out of print.) 
Fairholt — Costume of England, 2 vols. ($1.50 each.) 
Hill— History of English Dress. (Out of print.) 
McClellan — Historic Dress in America. ($10.00.) 
Planchet — History in British Costume. ($1.50.) 
Quegly — What Dress Makes of Us. ($1.25.) 
Racinet — Costume. ($2.00.) 
Rhead — Chats on Costume. ($1.50.) 
Schild— Old English Peasant Costume from Boadicea to 

Queen Victoria. (Out of print.) 



SUPPLEMENTARY PROGRAM 
ARRANGED FOR CLASS STUDY ON 

TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

MEETING I 

(Study pages 1-59) 
Primitive Methods 
Endeavor to obtain a Colonial spinning-wheel in working 

order, and get some one to operate it. 
If possible, obtain samples of weaving done on a hand 

loom. 
Examine a hand-loom if possible. They may be seen at the 

manufacturers of rag and remade carpets. 
References: Woman's Share in Primitive Culture, Mason, 
Chapter III, The Weaver. ($1.75, postage 
1 6c.) 
Colonial Days in Old New England, by Earle. 
($1.25, postage 12c.) 

Textile Fibres 

Collect an exhibit of raw fibres and fibres in process of manu- 
facture. Send to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
Department of Botany, Washington, D. C, for small sam- 
ples; to manufacturers of thread; to friends in manufac- 
turing towns. 
Test the various fibres by burning. Examine under a mi- 
croscope with a small hand-glass, if greater power cannot 
be obtained. Try warm acid — sulphuric, hydrochloric, or 
oxalic — on the fibres; let the fibres dry. Also try a solu- 
tion of caustic soda on the fibres. 
References: The Textile Fibres, by Matthews. ($3.50, 
postage 1 6c.) 
Textile Fibres and Cotton Fibre, pamphlets of 
the American School of Correspondence. 
(50c. each, postage 4c. each.) 
236 



PROGRAM 237 

Send for all the Government Bulletins men- 
tioned in the Bibliography, page 104 Note 
that the free bulletins are obtained simply 
by addressing the Department of AgricuL 
ture, Washington, D. C, but the sale bulle- 
tins only by sending coin or money order 
to the Superintendent of Documents, Wash- 
ington, D. C. 

MEETING II 

(Study pages 59-102) 
Modern Methods 

Visit a textile mill if possible, after studying the text. 
Practice home dyeing. Read carefully the directions given 
by the manufacturers of the dyes. See the booklet "Dia- 
mond Dyes," to be obtained at many drug stores, or send 
for it to Wells Richardson, Burlington, Vermont. 
References : Text-books of the American School of Corre- 
spondence — especially Textile Chemistry 
and Dyeing. (Parts I, II, III, and IV, post- 
age 4c. each.) 
The Dyeing of Textile Fabrics, by Hummell. 

($1.75, postage 12c.) 
Bleaching and Calico Printing (containing 
samples), by Duerr. ($4.00, postage 14c.) 

'Weaves and Fabrics 

Show as many different kinds of weaves as possible. Separate 
rate the threads and examine under a hand microscope. 

Get the local dry-goods or department store to co-operate 
with you in getting up an exhibit of samples of standard 
goods — cotton, woolen, worsted, linen, and silk. Label 
each cample with the width and price. 



238 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

Test some of the samples of wash goods for fastness to wash- 
ing and light, by washing in warm water and soap (or 
boiling in the soap and water) and expose to sunlight all 
day for three or four days. Keep a part of each sample for 
comparison. 

(Select a composite set of answers to the Test Questions on 
Part I and send to the School, with report on the supple- 
mental work done and Meetings I and II.) 

MEETING III 

(Study pages 107-123) 
Sewing: Plain Stitches 
Send to manufacturers for samples showing the process of 

manufacture of pins, needles, etc. 
Demonstrate different ways of making the same stitches; 

discuss best methods. 
Embroidery 

Show how all the embroidery stitches are made. 
Get up an exhibit of all kinds of embroidery, including 

Oriental, Japanese, old samplers, etc. 
Have members make Model I, First Series. 
References: Home and School Sewing, by Patton. ($0.60, 
postage 6c.) 
School Needlework, by Hapgood. ($0 .75, post- 
age 6c.) 
Manual of Exercise in Hand Sewing, by Blair. 
($1.25, postage ioc.) 
Topic: Educational Value of Sewing in the Public 

Schools. 
Methods. See "A Sewing Course, "by Mary 
S. Woolman, Introduction ($3.50, post- 
age 20c), and 'The Teaching of Domestic 
Science in the United States of America," 
by Alice Ravenhill, pages 9-10, 43-46. 
($0.75, postage 12c.) 



PROGRAM 239 

MEETING IV 

(Study pages 123-165) 

Hems, Seams, Fastenings, Darning, Patching 

Have all members make models II, III, IV, and V. 

Previously assign members to furnish models or examples 
of all other hems, seams, fastenings, patches, darns, etc., 
illustrated or described in the text, and as many more as 
possible. 

Machine Sewing 

Get the local sewing machine agent to give a demonstration 

of the workings of the attachments of the machine. 
(Select models and answers to Test Questions on Part II and 

send them to the School, with a report of Meetings III and 

IV.) 

MEETING V 

(Study pages 167-200) 
Dressmaking 
Get the local dry-goods or department store to lend different 

kinds of dress forms. 
Collect patterns from different makers. 
Show how patterns are altered to suit the figure. (See text 

and "Dressmaking Up to Date.") 
As many as possible cut out and begin making a simple shirt- 
waist or skirt. Show finished garment at next meeting, 
giving accurate account of cost and time spent. 
References: Dressmaking Up to Date, The Butterick Co. 
($0.25, postage 8c.) 
Sewing and Garment Drafting, by Margaret 
L. Blair. ($1.25, postage 12c.) 



240 TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 

MEETING VI 

(Study pages 205-228) 

Construction and Ornament in Dress ; Color 

Collect illustrations showing good and faulty ornamentation. 

Procure samples of fabrics showing good and faulty orna- 
mentation. 

Make a color card showing contrast and harmony of color. 
(See Question n.) 

References: See list on pages 234 and 235. 

Children's Clothing 

Get up an exhibit of simple and satisfactory clothing for 

children, including color, material, style and make. 
Discuss children's clothes in reference to laundering. 

Care and Repair of Clothes 

Show examples of successful repairing. 

Try some of the methods of cleaning. (See, also Chemistry 

of the Household pages 73-84.) 
(Select answers to Test Questions on Part III and send them 

to the School, with report on Meetings V and VI.) 



INDEX 



Adulteration of linen, 87 

Alpaca, 90 

Altering sleeve patterns, 194 

Angora wool, 39 

Aniline dyes, 79 

Arrow heads, 123 

Aack stitch, 112 

Basting, 108 
Bibliography, 103, 229 
Bleaching, 78 
Bobbin, 19 
Boning waist, 192 
Bow, the, 208 
Burling, 83 
Bust form, 168 
Button holes, 141 

large, 145 

making, 144 
Buttons, sewing on, 145 

Carding, 59 
Care of clothing, 219 
Cassimere twills, 73, 75 
Cat stitch, 116 
Catch stitch, 116 
Chain stitch, 116 
Checks, 213 

Children's clothes, 216, 217 
Cleaning, 59, 221 
Collars, 198 
. putting on, 199 
Color in dress, 214 
Colors, mordant, 79 
Combing, 60 

Conventional designs, 213 
Costumes, references, 234 
Cotton, 29 

boles, 32 

fibers, 34 



Cotton goods, 85 

home of, 30 

Nankin, 34 

sea island, 30 

upland, 30 
Cross stitch, 120 
Cuffs, 196 
Cutting table, 168 

Darning, 155 

on machine, 158 

over net 157 
Decorations, placing. 208 
Distaff, 12 
Double cloth, 77 
Draped waist, 192 
Drawing tapes, 140 
Dressmaking, 167 
Dyeing, 78 

home, 80 
Dyes, aniline, 79 
Dyestuffs, natural, 80 

Embroidery, 204 

as ornament, 204 

eyelet, 122 

shadow, 123 

stitches, 114 
Extension hem, 227 
Eyelet embroidery, 122 
Eyelets, 149 

Fabrics, 85 

list of, 96-102 

names of, 94 

primitive, 27 

width of, 93 
Facing, bias, 141 

skirt, 179 
Fastening the thread, 109 
Fastenings, 141 



241 



242 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Feather stitch, 118 
Fibers, 29 

cotton, 29 

flax, 43 

silk, 53 

wool, 37 
Finishes, 139 
Finishing skirt, 179 

seams, 196 

waist, 192 
Finishing, woolens, 83 
Fitting, 173, 193 

sleeves, 190 

waists, 190 
Flax, 43 

fibers, 47 

hackling, 44, 47 
Flocks, 83 

Folding garments, 220 
French hem, 127 

knots, 119 

seam, 131 
Fulling, 8s 
Fur, 40 

Gathering, 11 1, 138 
Gathers, whipped, 127 
Gauging, 112 
Gigging, 83 
Gingham, 86 
Grease spots, 122 

Hand sewing, 107 
Harmony in dress, 215 
Harness, the, 70 
Heddle, 17 
Hemp, 50 
Hem stitch, 118 
Hems, 123 

bias, 124 

faced, 124 

flannel, 127 

French, 127 

folding, 123 



Hems, rolled, 126 
Herringbone stitch, 116 
Home dyeing, 80 
Hook and eyes, 147 
Hydroscopic moisture, 42 

Jacquard loom, 70 
Joining lace, 160 
Jute, 50 

Knit goods, 72 

Lace, design of, 208 
Laces, use of, 207 
Laundering, 225 
Lengthening garments, 226 
Linen, 86 

adulteration of, 87 

characteristics of, 47 
Lining, cutting, 188 
Loading silk, 56 
Looms, 17 

Colonial, 19, 21, 22 

development of, 19 

diagram of, 23 

fly shuttle, 26 

four harness, hand, 21 

Jacquard, 70 

Japanese, 20 

modern, 25, 69 

Navajo, 18 

Swedish hand, 24 
Loop stitch, 116 

Madder bleach, 78 
Machine darning, 158 

sewing, 162 
Mending, 83, 225 
Mitering embroidery, 158 
Modern methods, 59 
Mohair, 90 
Mordant colors, 79 
Muslin, 85 

Nankin cotton, 34 
Natural dyestuffs, 80 



INDEX 



243 



Olona, 53 
Ornament, 203 

embroidery as, 204 

fitness of, 209 

flowers as, 205 

of textiles, 212 
Ornamental stitches, 108, 114 
Ornamentation, errors in, 204 
Outline stitch, 114 
Overcasting, 114, 142 
Oversewing, 113 

Packing clothing, 220 
Passementerie, 206 
Patching, 149 
Patterns, 171 

altering, 173 

cloth, 174 

lengthening, 173 

pinning, 176 

placing, 176 

selection of, 171 

testing, 174 

use of, 172 
Picking, 59 
Piled fabrics, 91 
Plackets, 135 

faced, 137 
Plaids, 213 
Plain material, 212 
Plush, 77 
Pressing, 201 

board, 168, 201 

wet, 202 
Primitive methods, 3 
Printing, 81 

block, 81 
machine, 81 
warps, 82 

Ramie, 50 
Raw silk, 56 
Reed, 19 
Reeling silk, 54 



Repairing, 225 
Retting flax, 45 
Roving, 61 
Running stitch, no 

Sateen weave, 79 
Satin, 91 

stitch, 121 
Scouring agents, 41 
Sea island cotton, 30 
Seams, 128 
beaded, 131 
felled, 128 
flannel, 135 
French, 131 
lapped, 133 
slot, 131 
Serges, 88 

Seven-gored skirt, 172 
Sewing, hand, 107 

machine, 162 
Sewing machines, 162 
care of, 162 
types of, 162 
use of, 164 
Shadow embroidery, 123 
Sheep, 39 
Shirt waists, cutting, 18 

plan for making, 183 
Shuttle, 19 
Silk, 53 

artificial, 58 
boiling off, 56 
fiber, 53 
loading, 56, 90 
production, 53 
raw, 56 
twilled, 91 
Silk, wash, 91 
Silk worm, 54 
Silks, 90 
Singeing, 78 
Skirt, 172 
band, 179 



244 



TEXTILES AND CLOTHING 



Skirt binding, 180 

braid, 180 

making, 177 

placket, 178 

plan of making, 173 

stiffening, 178 
Sleeve making, 183 

patterns, 194 
Sleeves, cutting, 194, 195 

finish of, 197 

pressing, 198 

putting in, 197 
Slip-stitching, 125 
Slot seams, 131 
Speck dye, 83 
Spindle, 6 

whorl, 6 
Spinning, 3, 59 

primitive, 3 

wheel, 12 

with spindle, 6 
Stains, 221 
Stitches, 107 

ornamental, 108, 114 

plain, 107 
Stockinet undergarments, 216 
Stripes, 213 
Stroking gathers, 1 1 1 

Table linen, 87 
Teazels, 83 

Textile arts, origin of, 3 
Textiles, 85, 212 

design of, 212 

list of, 96, 102 

ornament of, 212 

weaves, 72 
Texture, 214 
Trimming, 210 
Tweeds, 88 

Harris, 89 
Twills, 74 

Cassimere, 73, 75 

uneven, 75 



Tucked waist, 185 
Tucking, 108 
Tucks, 128 

Unity in dress, 211 
Upland cotton, 30 

Velvet, 92 

weave of, 77 
Velveteen, 92 

Waists, 185 

lined, 186 

plan for making, 187 

repairing, 227 

tucked, 185 
Wash silk, 91 
Warping, 69 
Weave, 72 

diagrams, 73 

plain, 73 

basket, 76 

double cloth, 77 

rib, 76 

sateen, 76 

twill, 74 

velvet, 77 
Weaving. 14, 69 
Wet pressing, 202 
Wheel spinning, 12 
Whipping stitch, 113 
Whorl, spindle, 6 
Widths of fabrics, 93 
Wool 37 

characteristics of, 37 

fiber, 36 

quality of, 38 

scouring, 40 

sorting, 40 

value for clothing, 3 7 
Woolens, 88 
Worsteds, 88 

Yokes, 200 



APR 19 190? 



